2023 FIDE World Championship: Ding Liren and Ian Nepomniachtchi head for final tie-breaker

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It was the game which could have decided everything. However, after a failed attempt by Ding to organise an attack early on, the two players went for an exchange of queens transpiring into an even position where Black had a slight edge.

In the end, Nepomniachtchi was pushing for a victory in an even rook endgame, trying to drain his opponent's energy and break him, but Ding defended well.

In the first few moves of the Nimzo-Indian Defence, Ding and Nepomniachtchi followed the opening moves of game five, in which the Chinese player achieved a decisive advantage but failed to capitalise on it. Ding decided to deviate from that game on move five, but the position was calm as both sides were still in the opening phase.

However, on move 12, Ding decided to start an attack on the black king's castle. The move was coated with ideas of making brave and fierce sacrifices on the board, evoking the romantic era of chess where the player's character and audacity were above calculation and precision. Nepomniachtchi wasn't fazed by this and brushed off White's overly ambitious advances.

Ding was soon forced to confess that his idea had failed. He then went on for an exchange in the centre, leading to the queens and several pieces being removed from the board. The resulting position was even, with White's doubled pawns giving Black a slight advantage.

Undeterred, Ding opted for another ambitious and risky plan - to temporarily give up a pawn to get some activity - but ended up with his pieces being more exposed across the board. As the game moved on, the nature of the position was becoming ever more uncomfortable for White. Although the world championship was hanging on this game, Ding opted for risky strategies, which effectively gave way to Black.

At one point, Nepomniachtchi achieved a significant advantage, but with one imprecise move, he let White level the game. Despite treading a fine line, Ding managed to maintain his position and eventually discovered a splendid combination to simplify the game and reach a rook endgame where he was a pawn down, but the position was even. Nepomniachtchi pushed on, and Ding had to be very precise to prove he could hold a draw.

Just as it seemed we were on the brink of a threefold repetition, Nepomniachtchi decided to play on as he sent his king towards the left flank and allowed Black to capture a pawn on the kingside. Despite things getting sharper and Ian trying to unsettle White, Ding found the precise moves to keep the position even. Nepomniachtchi was gradually chipping away at Ding's time and nerves, hoping he would break at one point. However, the Chinese player managed to hold.

After trying every single approach to find victory, on move XY and after six and a half hours of play, the final classical game of the 2023 FIDE World Chess Championship match ended in a draw.

It remains to be seen whether this long and draining game will impact the players in their tie-break showdown on Sunday.

Fide World Championship: The tie-breaks

The World Champion will be decided in a four-game rapid playoff with a time control of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. There shall be a drawing of lots to decide which player starts with white pieces.

If the score is still a tie after four rapid games, another two-game playoff shall be played with a time control of five minutes plus three seconds increment per move.

If the score is still level, another two-game playoff shall be played with the same time control. If the score is still even after this game, a single game shall be played with a time control of three minutes for each player plus two seconds increment per move, and these games will continue until a decisive result is reached.

(Extract from Agency)