2024 World Championship (25 November to 13 December)

[Matt Mackenzie]

Everybody seems to be expecting a draw tomorrow and then tiebreaks, but what a finish it would be if that turned out not to be the case.

As recently as <checks notes> game 10, some were complaining that this match was boring. Just goes to show.

[Ian Thompson]

Everybody seems to be expecting a draw tomorrow and then tiebreaks, but what a finish it would be if that turned out not to be the case.

Is either player likely to think that they'll probably lose in a tie-break so it's worth taking risks to win tomorrow? It could be interesting tomorrow if they both think that.

[Mick Norris]

Pre match, Ding (2776 rapid, 2785 blitz) would be favourite in the tie-break against Gukesh (2654 rapid, 2615 blitz), and he appears to play better when he speeds up

However, he is white tomorrow, so maybe he has something left to try

Gukesh just seems very level headed and taking each game as it comes

No clue what will happen

[GrahamStuart]

Fabi got up at 6 am to pour scorn on Gukesh's prep. He said he had considered 7. a3 for rapid games but decided it was not good enough even for rapid. Asked if he believed Ding had really only done three weeks prep, he said he saw no evidence of that much!

Sounds a bit like sour grapes? I think both players have done amazing, Ding showing great character and I still think people forget that Gukesh is only 18. Caruana is a great player and probably would have been WC if not for Carlsen, but he did not qualify from the candidates.

[Tim Harding]

Yes, winning the Candidates more than once is tough, but Caruana might do it next time.

Smyslov and Spassky managed to become champion second time around.

I think Nepo is the only player to win the Candidates twice and not become World Champion.

Ding is the only player to become World Champion via second place in the Candidates.

[Jonathan Rogers]

....
I think Nepo is the only player to win the Candidates twice and not become World Champion.

Korchnoi.

Another player played twice a match for the world title, depending on one's chess religion, and won neither - Topalov.

Gukesh could of course win another candidates', if required to do so. So easy to forget that he is only 18. He looked (looked) remarkably composed in the press conference after today's near miss and it still seems a difficult match to call.

[IM Jack Rudd]

There are others back in the day who played two matches for the title without winning either (Chigorin, Bogoljubow).

[NickFaulks]

Fabi got up at 6 am to pour scorn on Gukesh's prep. He said he had considered 7. a3 for rapid games but decided it was not good enough even for rapid.

I bet he will be taking another look at 7.a3 now. Team Gukesh must have found something, even if it didn't appear on the board today.

[LawrenceCooper]

Game 14 following Sarakauskas-Willow from the 4NCL 2022-23!

[NickFaulks]

"And from that day onwards, Black never again advanced ... d5-d4 in a world championship game".

[Mick Norris]

Game 14 following Sarakauskas-Willow from the 4NCL 2022-23!

I see Jonah played 10 .. e5 rather than Gukesh's Bc5

[LawrenceCooper]

Game 14 following Sarakauskas-Willow from the 4NCL 2022-23!

I see Jonah played 10 .. e5 rather than Gukesh's Bc5

Yes, he got into trouble soon after that.

[LawrenceCooper]

Ding has chosen to defend an ending a pawn down. It should be a draw but still a bit surprising.

[Roger de Coverly]

Position after White's move 41

8/5p2/6bk/4r1pp/R7/5BP1/5P2/6K1 b - - 5 41

The lichess engine thinks it can be held, but presumably Gukesh will want to see why.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Gukesh with exactly 1.0 advantage on move 51.

Ding running low on time (12 mins). Exciting (if potentially tragic for those wanting to see tie-breaks).

(Having actually looked at the position, it is just drawn is it not?)