Ding bounces back at Norway Chess tournament

Ding Liren Bounces Back at Norway Chess Tournament

After a rough patch of four consecutive losses, world champion Ding Liren has made a remarkable comeback at the Norway Chess tournament. Ding’s struggles began after defeating R Praggnanandhaa in round 2, with uncharacteristic blunders and visible discomfort during his games.

Despite concerns from colleagues about his well-being, Ding has shown resilience and determination in rounds 7-9, securing good positions in his games. He also managed to beat the in-form Hikaru Nakamura in a tiebreaker on Thursday, after losing in Armageddon twice.

With the final round approaching, three players still have a chance to win the tournament. Magnus Carlsen leads the pack, followed by Nakamura and Pragg. In the decisive round, Carlsen will face Fabiano Caruana with the white pieces, while Pragg will play against Nakamura.

At the Norway Chess super-tournament, the scoring system awards 3 points for a win in classical chess, 1.5 points for a win in Armageddon, and 1 point for a loss in Armageddon.

Current Standings after round 9:

• Magnus Carlsen – 16 points
• Hikaru Nakamura – 14.5 points
• R Praggnanandhaa – 13 points
• Alireza Firouzja – 12 points
• Fabiano Caruana – 10.5 points
• Ding Liren – 6 points

Despite his earlier setbacks, Ding Liren is still in the running for a strong finish at the Norway Chess tournament. The final round promises exciting matchups and potential upsets as the top players vie for victory.