Did Ding throw the match?

[Clive Wismayer]

The president of the Russian chess federation has suggested Ding lost deliberately & called for FIDE to investigate. What to make of that? I find the idea preposterous because:

1 if so minded, he could have made it less obvious
2 no motive is suggested, nor can I think of one
3 Ding would have to be a good actor to look so genuinely devastated & to be willing to field questions afterward without apparent guilt or unease.

What is it with the Russkies? Are they pished because the world has taken against them? Have they caught some paranoid disease from Kramnik? Are they resentful at not being the chess super power they or the USSR once were? What are your thoughts?

[Stephen Westmoreland]

There have been all sorts of stunts pulled by the Russian's in the past but it was a shocking blunder on Thursday. However, Ding's issues are well documented and the entire series is very gruelling. I personally can't see it myself but in this day and age, you can never tell.

Adding the link I put in the International chat: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/top ... 271317.cms

[Mike Gunn]

No, of course he didn’t!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Its still not as bad a blunder as Chigorin's that ended the 1892 match with Steinitz, so there.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

I am pretty stunned the Russian Chess Federation had the cheek to put that forwards tbh.

[NickFaulks]

Filatov does seem to be pushing his luck. We await Kramnik's view on the matter.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Looking at the video, it was very clear that Ding more or less collapsed at the board when he realised his error. The Russian suggestion is insulting to both players.

I found it very refreshing that they were so polite to each other at the Press Conference.

[LawrenceCooper]

I would have preferred not to see the thread given this title but I guess it was meant as clickbait.

[Neil_Hickman]

Gukesh had about an hour extra on the clock. That meant that he could have a think every so often and Ding had to get back up to speed, having only a few minutes left on his clock.
Very stressful.
And the idea of swapping the rooks off had been a sensible one for White at several points; it was the fact that the Bishop was marooned on a8 that suddenly made it suicidal. It’s perfectly understandable that Ding, under clock pressure, overlooked the critical change in the position. Bear in mind that Gukesh also initially thought he still needed to avoid the exchange of Rooks.
The Russians are being about as sensible as when they put Lavrov up to say, apparently with a straight face, that they haven’t invaded Ukraine.

[MJMcCready]

Maybe he had a bit too much h vodka that day

[Matt Mackenzie]

The president of the Russian chess federation has suggested Ding lost deliberately & called for FIDE to investigate. What to make of that? I find the idea preposterous because:

1 if so minded, he could have made it less obvious
2 no motive is suggested, nor can I think of one
3 Ding would have to be a good actor to look so genuinely devastated & to be willing to field questions afterward without apparent guilt or unease.

What is it with the Russkies? Are they pished because the world has taken against them? Have they caught some paranoid disease from Kramnik? Are they resentful at not being the chess super power they or the USSR once were? What are your thoughts?

As has been well documented, he didn't like being WC - and was worried he might actually win the playoffs in the event of a draw?

But no, that he deliberately threw the match *is* a preposterous conspiracy theory. I do wonder if his subconscious was playing a part, though.

[Paul McKeown]

A theory that is Completely Redundant And Preposterous.

[John Upham]

Completely Redundant And Preposterous.

I see what you did there Paul!

[David Lettington]

Whilst I don't think there's anything in the theory that Ding threw the match, I think there's a distinct possibility that a desire to be free of the pressures of being World Champion had a subconscious effect on the way that he played and prepared for the match. As Spassky said, the Shapka Monomakha weighs heavily.

[Roger Lancaster]

I confess to finding it amazing that Ding lost games 11 and 14 through mistakes which I wouldn't expect to make myself but, other factors apart, if Ding had been intent on losing the match it's hard to believe he would have restored equality by winning game 12 as he did.