2024 World Championship (25 November to 13 December)

[Jonathan Rogers]

Both players won with black?

Yes. An alternative answer (and the one I had in mind) was that both players won a game with each colour.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Ok, here are questions for those of a certain K v K vintage. Which of the following are true?

1) K v K 1990 was the first post-war match where Black did not win a game
2) Only one of the two players won a game with Black in each of the 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987 matches.
3) Kasparov says that he would have played the Grunfeld for the first time in his career if Karpov had played 1 d4 in the crucial 24th game in 1985.
4) Nikitin commented "no one knows why Karpov did not play the Petroff more often. He never lost a world championship game with it".
5) Some of Kasparov's opening surprises in 1984 were said to be inadvertently leaked to Karpov, because one of Kasparov's seconds (Dorfman) laid bets on the openings in various games.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Alex Therrien who is a FIDE master is a senior digital journalist for the BBC. Perhaps they should have asked him to write the page.

There is a new BBC News piece up now:

The Indian teen who became the world's youngest chess champion


The byline states: "Devangshu Datta - Chess Writer".

(He is a journalist and a chess columnist and an internationally rated chess player.)

It is a good article. Nice quote here:

Gukesh is obviously an extraordinary talent but this is not the romantic story of a lone ranger surprising the world. The Chennai GM is at the apex of a robust chess ecosystem, which is one of the best, perhaps the best, in the world.

[MJMcCready]

Its good news for chess as a whole, especially in India.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Ok, here are questions for those of a certain K v K vintage. Which of the following are true?

1) K v K 1990 was the first post-war match where Black did not win a game
2) Only one of the two players won a game with Black in each of the 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987 matches.
3) Kasparov says that he would have played the Grunfeld for the first time in his career if Karpov had played 1 d4 in the crucial 24th game in 1985.
4) Nikitin commented "no one knows why Karpov did not play the Petroff more often. He never lost a world championship game with it".
5) Some of Kasparov's opening surprises in 1984 were said to be inadvertently leaked to Karpov, because one of Kasparov's seconds (Dorfman) laid bets on the openings in various games.

1 is true, 2 is definitely not (1986 only, with one Black win by Karpov - both won with it in the other matches)

I also know that 4 is *not* true (cf the 48th and final game of the "notorious" 1984/85 match)

3 is possibly correct, but re 5 wasn't it Vladimirov who was accused of leaking stuff to Karpov (think it might have been the 1986 match tho)?

[Jonathan Rogers]

answers to follow, but perhaps Matt has misread q 2 - if Karpov won a black game in each of the 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 matches while Kasparov didn't, then the statement in 2 would be true.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Ok, here are questions for those of a certain K v K vintage. Which of the following are true?

1) K v K 1990 was the first post-war match where Black did not win a game
2) Only one of the two players won a game with Black in each of the 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987 matches.
3) Kasparov says that he would have played the Grunfeld for the first time in his career if Karpov had played 1 d4 in the crucial 24th game in 1985.
4) Nikitin commented "no one knows why Karpov did not play the Petroff more often. He never lost a world championship game with it".
5) Some of Kasparov's opening surprises in 1984 were said to be inadvertently leaked to Karpov, because one of Kasparov's seconds (Dorfman) laid bets on the openings in various games.

Maybe it's too early for quizzes, or maybe it was a rubbish quiz. Anyway:

1) true

2)Yes, Karpov won a Black game in each, Kasparov did not (in 1986)

3) True; at least, that is what he says in the relevant Great Predecessor volume, saying that he was not in the mood to defend another QGD, having lost from one in game 22 (even though not because of the opening itself). He preferred an opening more in his style for such a critical game, and had noted that when confronted with a surprise Karpov would tend to opt for a safe line and to prepare a critical line or a surprise of his own for a later game.

4) False! I invented Nikitin as the author and as Matt says the content is wrong too, because of game 48 in 1984/85. It is true that Karpov never lost again with it in subsequent matches, and so, one might think, he might have tried it more often. I had the impression from his volumes that GK was a bit surprised by how often Karpov preferred to defend the Ruy.

5) True, it seems, if one believes GK's account (and no one to my limited knowledge has disputed this one). This saga is not to be confused with Vladimirov in 1986. The suggestion is that Dorfman was rather an innocent, thinking he could easily win some bets on the side, and not realising that one of the operators of the betting syndicate was a supporter of Karpov!

[Roland Kensdale]

A beaming Ding interviewed a day after losing: https://youtu.be/UMhIyqILN0c?si=Vm2ms_rWMN3Lui5r

Nothing remarkable said.

Maybe his head is at ease having lost the crown.

[MJMcCready]

I'm having difficulty finding the game that decided the match. Could someone link it please. I would like to see what this blunder was.

[IM Jack Rudd]

I'm having difficulty finding the game that decided the match. Could someone link it please. I would like to see what this blunder was.

[Event "FIDE World Championship Match 2024"] [Site "Singapore SGP"] [Date "2024.12.12"] [Round "14"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Gukesh D"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2728"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "8603677"] [BlackElo "2783"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "46616543"] [TimeControl "40/7200:1800+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A08"] [Opening "Zukertort Opening: Reversed Grünfeld"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/broadcast/-/-/LtsCRK9D"] [StudyName "Game 14"] [ChapterName "Ding, Liren - Gukesh D"] 1. Nf3 { [%eval 0.14] [%clk 1:59:51] } 1... d5 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 1:59:49] } 2. g3 { [%eval 0.15] [%clk 1:59:47] } 2... c5 { [%eval 0.14] [%clk 1:57:51] } 3. Bg2 { [%eval 0.1] [%clk 1:59:40] } 3... Nc6 { [%eval 0.16] [%clk 1:57:43] } 4. d4 { [%eval 0.19] [%clk 1:59:34] } 4... e6 { [%eval 0.17] [%clk 1:57:33] } 5. O-O { [%eval 0.21] [%clk 1:58:26] } 5... cxd4 { [%eval 0.35] [%clk 1:57:26] } 6. Nxd4 { [%eval 0.3] [%clk 1:58:16] } 6... Nge7 { [%eval 0.42] [%clk 1:57:19] } 7. c4 { [%eval 0.36] [%clk 1:45:27] } 7... Nxd4 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:57:11] } 8. Qxd4 { [%eval 0.37] [%clk 1:45:22] } 8... Nc6 { [%eval 0.41] [%clk 1:57:06] } 9. Qd1 { [%eval 0.24] [%clk 1:39:57] } 9... d4 { [%eval 0.25] [%clk 1:56:52] } 10. e3 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:39:44] } 10... Bc5 { [%eval 0.22] [%clk 1:49:42] } 11. exd4 { [%eval 0.31] [%clk 1:21:14] } 11... Bxd4 { [%eval 0.25] [%clk 1:49:12] } 12. Nc3 { [%eval 0.24] [%clk 1:17:47] } 12... O-O { [%eval 0.29] [%clk 1:47:42] } 13. Nb5 { [%eval 0.04] [%clk 1:17:40] } 13... Bb6?! { [%eval 0.73] } { Inaccuracy. e5 was best. } { [%clk 1:34:14] } (13... e5) 14. b3 { [%eval 0.19] [%clk 1:06:46] } 14... a6 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:26:31] } 15. Nc3 { [%eval 0.28] [%clk 1:00:52] } 15... Bd4 { [%eval 0.37] [%clk 1:26:03] } 16. Bb2 { [%eval 0.15] [%clk 1:00:41] } 16... e5 { [%eval 0.22] [%clk 1:25:43] } 17. Qd2 { [%eval 0.16] [%clk 1:00:15] } 17... Be6 { [%eval 0.29] [%clk 1:23:38] } 18. Nd5 { [%eval 0.34] [%clk 0:58:26] } 18... b5 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:14:23] } 19. cxb5 { [%eval -0.02] [%clk 0:48:16] } 19... axb5 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:12:59] } 20. Nf4 { [%eval 0.03] [%clk 0:48:09] } 20... exf4 { [%eval 0.04] [%clk 1:09:33] } 21. Bxc6 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 0:47:51] } 21... Bxb2 { [%eval -0.07] [%clk 1:07:12] } 22. Qxb2 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 0:47:48] } 22... Rb8 { [%eval 0.03] [%clk 1:06:36] } 23. Rfd1 { [%eval -0.01] [%clk 0:43:52] } 23... Qb6 { [%eval 0.02] [%clk 1:05:58] } 24. Bf3 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 0:34:16] } 24... fxg3 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:05:34] } 25. hxg3 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 0:34:13] } 25... b4 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:05:19] } 26. a4 { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 0:28:05] } 26... bxa3 { [%eval -0.19] [%clk 1:04:48] } 27. Rxa3 { [%eval -0.18] [%clk 0:27:54] } 27... g6 { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 1:04:06] } 28. Qd4 { [%eval -0.19] [%clk 0:25:24] } 28... Qb5 { [%eval -0.09] [%clk 1:01:54] } 29. b4 { [%eval -0.08] [%clk 0:23:39] } 29... Qxb4 { [%eval -0.1] [%clk 1:01:06] } 30. Qxb4 { [%eval -0.14] [%clk 0:23:36] } 30... Rxb4 { [%eval -0.1] [%clk 1:01:00] } 31. Ra8 { [%eval -0.13] [%clk 0:23:02] } 31... Rxa8 { [%eval -0.12] [%clk 0:58:43] } 32. Bxa8 { [%eval -0.13] [%clk 0:22:58] } 32... g5 { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 0:53:27] } 33. Bd5 { [%eval -0.18] [%clk 0:22:30] } 33... Bf5 { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 0:53:21] } 34. Rc1 { [%eval -0.1] [%clk 0:19:45] } 34... Kg7 { [%eval -0.08] [%clk 0:52:04] } 35. Rc7 { [%eval -0.13] [%clk 0:18:23] } 35... Bg6 { [%eval -0.16] [%clk 0:51:59] } 36. Rc4 { [%eval -0.17] [%clk 0:17:35] } 36... Rb1+ { [%eval -0.08] [%clk 0:44:33] } 37. Kg2 { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 0:17:17] } 37... Re1 { [%eval -0.08] [%clk 0:43:41] } 38. Rb4 { [%eval -0.17] [%clk 0:10:06] } 38... h5 { [%eval -0.2] [%clk 0:43:14] } 39. Ra4 { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 0:08:20] } 39... Re5 { [%eval -0.14] [%clk 0:42:26] } 40. Bf3 { [%eval -0.17] [%clk 0:38:29] } 40... Kh6 { [%eval -0.19] [%clk 1:12:06] } 41. Kg1 { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 0:32:05] } 41... Re6 { [%eval -0.16] [%clk 1:11:46] } 42. Rc4 { [%eval -0.13] [%clk 0:31:50] } 42... g4 { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 1:11:50] } 43. Bd5 { [%eval -0.22] [%clk 0:30:14] } 43... Rd6 { [%eval -0.1] [%clk 1:11:14] } 44. Bb7 { [%eval -0.1] [%clk 0:21:43] } 44... Kg5 { [%eval -0.14] [%clk 1:11:22] } 45. f3 { [%eval -0.07] [%clk 0:21:29] } 45... f5 { [%eval -0.14] [%clk 1:09:41] } 46. fxg4 { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 0:21:38] } 46... hxg4 { [%eval -0.13] [%clk 1:10:05] } 47. Rb4 { [%eval -0.2] [%clk 0:17:32] } 47... Bf7 { [%eval -0.12] [%clk 1:10:23] } 48. Kf2 { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 0:15:38] } 48... Rd2+ { [%eval -0.13] [%clk 1:10:28] } 49. Kg1 { [%eval -0.14] [%clk 0:16:00] } 49... Kf6 { [%eval -0.09] [%clk 1:10:20] } 50. Rb6+ { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 0:16:18] } 50... Kg5 { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 1:09:14] } 51. Rb4 { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 0:16:44] } 51... Be6 { [%eval -0.12] [%clk 1:09:25] } 52. Ra4 { [%eval -0.12] [%clk 0:12:27] } 52... Rb2 { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 1:06:50] } 53. Ba8 { [%eval -0.1] [%clk 0:09:43] } 53... Kf6 { [%eval -0.11] [%clk 1:07:06] } 54. Rf4 { [%eval -0.12] [%clk 0:09:29] } 54... Ke5 { [%eval -0.14] [%clk 1:07:23] } 55. Rf2?? { [%eval #-33] } { Checkmate is now unavoidable. Ra4 was best. } { [%clk 0:09:43] } (55. Ra4) 55... Rxf2 { [%eval -80.53] [%clk 1:05:41] } 56. Kxf2 { [%eval -80.53] [%clk 0:10:11] } 56... Bd5 { [%eval -52.24] [%clk 1:06:08] } 57. Bxd5 { [%eval -28.11] [%clk 0:10:31] } 57... Kxd5 { [%eval -77.73] [%clk 1:06:37] } 58. Ke3 { [%eval -67.02] [%clk 0:10:08] } 58... Ke5 { [%eval -10.63] [%clk 1:07:00] } 0-1

[MJMcCready]

Thanks, yes that was an elementary blunder, which you would not expect from someone of his level.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

If anyone has a spare 3 hours, Gukesh has been interviewed by Sagar Shah of Chessbase India:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/inside-st ... ews-gukesh

The summary and its emoticons give a flavour, but if anyone does watch or dip into the interview, tell the more time-challenged of us what the best bits are!

[Tim Harding]

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

Ah yes Korchnoi of course, I forgot him, silly me.

Chigorin and Bogoljubow did not have to play Candidates tournaments to get matches; they just had to raise the money.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

If anyone has a spare 3 hours, Gukesh has been interviewed by Sagar Shah of Chessbase India:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/inside-st ... ews-gukesh

The summary and its emoticons give a flavour, but if anyone does watch or dip into the interview, tell the more time-challenged of us what the best bits are!

Has anyone watched the 3-hour marathon yet?

There are more interviews, one with Gajewski and one with Keymer. The former is a full video and transcript of a 1.5-hour interview. The latter is much shorter and less revealing, maybe because Keymer may at some point be a challenger for the title himself - it will be interesting to see how much this work as part of Gukesh's team benefits him personally in that regard.

Grzegorz Gajewski shares insights on Gukesh's World Championship victory

We worked late into the night (Vincent Keymer)

Apparently, there is a full article available to Der SPIEGEL subscribers (in German - link in the Chessbase report).

[Paul Cooksey]

.