Ding Liren finds excitement in playing with black in Singapore World Chess Championship

The World Chess Championship in Singapore is heating up as defending champion Ding Liren and young Indian challenger D. Gukesh battle it out in a thrilling match. After an intense Game 5 at Resorts World Sentosa, the score remains tied at 2.5-2.5, with nine more rounds to go in this best-of-14 match.

In a surprising turn of events, Ding Liren seems to be more comfortable playing with the black pieces, as he scored a stunning win in the opening game against Gukesh. However, in Game 5, Gukesh managed to hold his ground and secure a draw, despite Ding putting him under pressure.

The game started with Gukesh pushing the king’s pawn, to which Ding responded with the French Defence, a strategy he hasn’t used frequently in the past. The exchange variation of French Defence was played, leading to an interesting exchange of queens by the ninth move.

As the game progressed, Gukesh made some aggressive moves, but Ding capitalized on a questionable decision by Gukesh to capture his bishop with a pawn, gaining an advantage. However, Gukesh fought back and equalized the game, leading to an ending with opposite-colour bishops and pawns.

After 40 moves, the game ended in a draw with a repetition of moves. Gukesh remains focused on taking one game at a time and giving his best, while Ding acknowledges that there is room for improvement in the upcoming rounds.

With the match finely poised, chess enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the next round to see who will emerge victorious in this intense battle of wits and strategy. Stay tuned for more updates on the World Chess Championship in Singapore.