This article documents a current World Chess Championship. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports, scores, or statistics may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (November 2024) |
Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore | ||||||||||||||||
25 November – 13 December 2024 | ||||||||||||||||
Defending champion |
Challenger | |||||||||||||||
Ding Liren | Gukesh Dommaraju | |||||||||||||||
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Born 24 October 1992 32 years old |
Born 29 May 2006 18 years old | |||||||||||||||
Winner of the World Chess Championship 2023 | Winner of the Candidates Tournament 2024 | |||||||||||||||
Rating: 2728 (World No. 23) |
Rating: 2783 (World No. 5) | |||||||||||||||
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The World Chess Championship 2024, officially known as the World Chess Championship 2024 presented by Google,[1][2] is an ongoing chess match between the reigning world champion Ding Liren and the challenger Gukesh Dommaraju to determine the World Chess Champion. The match is currently taking place between 25 November and 13 December 2024, with Singapore chosen as the host country for the match. It will be played to a best of 14 games, with tiebreaks if required.[3]
Ding won the first game with black pieces and is presently leading the championship, 1½–½.
Ding Liren won the 2023 World Chess Championship defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi, after then reigning Champion Magnus Carlsen declined to defend his title. Gukesh won the eight-player Candidates Tournament held in April 2024 to win the right to challenge Ding for the World Championship. Before the start of the match, Gukesh was ranked fifth in the FIDE rankings with an Elo rating of 2783 while Ding was ranked 23rd with an Elo rating of 2728.
Ding Liren became World Chess Champion in April 2023, after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in the 2023 championship match.[4] After acquiring the title, Ding did not appear in professional tournaments for months, an absence which Ding later revealed in interviews to be due to fatigue and depression.[5][6] Ding withdrew from tournaments including the 2023 Asian Games and did not enter the first four events of the 2024 Grand Chess Tour. He returned to classical chess in January 2024 at the 2024 Tata Steel Chess Tournament and announced that he still intended to defend his world champion title.[7]
Ding's return to chess marked a rough stretch of form, with a set of poor performances at this year's Tata Steel Masters, Norway Chess, and the Grenke Chess Classic.[8] Ding's rating fell from 2788 (at the time of the World Chess Championship 2023) to 2728, while his world ranking fell from world number 3 to world number 23. His poor results led several chess grandmasters to express concern of Ding's overall ability to defend his world championship title, notably Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura.[9][10][11] However, whilst acknowledging Ding's weakened physical condition during the 2024 Sinquefield Cup, Anish Giri highlighted Ding's improved chess level during the first half of the tournament.[12] Ding's opponent in the 2023 match, Ian Nepomniachtchi, also remarked on Caruana's podcast that Ding would be a clear favorite if he was in prime form.[13]
Reflecting on his poor form in an interview during the 45th Chess Olympiad, Ding admitted that Gukesh is "playing extremely well in this tournament. Maybe he is a favourite in the World Championship Match. He also has a higher rating than me". Albeit, Ding remarked that he has "dropped a lot since last year, but I will fight my best to try to overcome the rating difference".[14]
The challenger, Gukesh Dommaraju, qualified by winning the Candidates Tournament 2024 in Toronto, Canada, which was an eight-player double round-robin tournament.[15][16] It took place from April 3 to April 22, 2024.[17][18] Fabiano Caruana won the 2023 FIDE Circuit, but had already qualified for the Candidates through the Chess World Cup 2023. Hence, Gukesh qualified for the Candidates via the FIDE Circuit, after overtaking Anish Giri with a win at the Chennai Grand Masters tournament.[19]
The eight players who competed were:[20][21][22]
Qualification method | Player | Age | Rating | World ranking |
---|---|---|---|---|
(April 2024) | ||||
2023 World Championship runner-up | Ian Nepomniachtchi[a] | 33 | 2758 | 7 |
The top three finishers in the Chess World Cup 2023[b] | |
33 | 2830 | 1 |
R Praggnanandhaa (runner-up) | 18 | 2747 | 14 | |
Fabiano Caruana (third place) | 31 | 2803 | 2 | |
Nijat Abasov (fourth place, replacement for Carlsen) | 28 | 2632 | 114 | |
The top two finishers in the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2023 | Vidit Gujrathi (winner) | 29 | 2727 | 25 |
Hikaru Nakamura (runner-up) | 36 | 2789 | 3 | |
Highest place in the 2023 FIDE Circuit not already qualified[c] | Gukesh Dommaraju | 17 | 2743 | 16 |
Highest rating for January 2024 not already qualified[d] | Alireza Firouzja | 20 | 2760 | 6 |
Rank | Player | Score | SB | Wins | Qualification | GD | HN | IN | FC | RP | VG | AF | NA | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gukesh Dommaraju (IND) | 9 / 14 | 57 | 5 | Advance to title match | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
2[e] | Hikaru Nakamura (USA) | 8.5 / 14 | 56 | 5 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ||||
3[e] | Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE) | 8.5 / 14 | 56 | 3 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ||||
4[f] | Fabiano Caruana (USA) | 8.5 / 14 | 54 | 4 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ||||
5 | R Praggnanandhaa (IND) | 7 / 14 | 42.5 | 3 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ||||
6 | Vidit Gujrathi (IND) | 6 / 14 | 40.25 | 3 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ||||
7 | Alireza Firouzja (FRA) | 5 / 14 | 32.75 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ||||
8 | Nijat Abasov (AZE) | 3.5 / 14 | 25.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 |
Tie-breakers for first place: (1) results in tie-break games for first place;
Tie-breakers for non-first place: (1) results in tie-break games for first place, if any; (2) Sonneborn–Berger score (SB); (3) total number of wins; (4) head-to-head score among tied players; (5) drawing of lots.[27]
Note: Numbers in the crosstable in a white background indicate the result playing the respective opponent with the white pieces (black pieces if on a black background). This does not give information which of the two games was played in the first half of the tournament, and which in the second.
Bids were originally to be presented to FIDE no later than 31 May 2024.[28] Early interest was expressed in June 2023 by Argentina, India, and Singapore.[29]
In June 2024, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky announced that FIDE had received three bids to host the championship, two from India (Chennai and New Delhi), and one from Singapore.[30][31] In July 2024, FIDE announced that the match would take place in Singapore from 20 November to 15 December 2024, with four venues being considered.[32][33] Ultimately, the Singapore Chess Federation revealed that the Equarius Hotel at Resorts World Sentosa was chosen as the venue to host the world championship match.[34]
The prize fund allocated for the event is US$2.5 million.[35] Each player receives US$200,000 for each game won (including forfeits), and the remainder of the money is split equally. If there is a tiebreak, however, the winner will receive US$1.3 million and the loser will receive US$1.2 million. That will also be the distribution if the final score is 7½–6½ with 13 decisive games or 8–6 with 14 decisive games.[36]
The first move of each classical game was ceremonially performed by guests invited by the organisers:
Game | Guest | |
---|---|---|
1 | Demis Hassabis | Co-founder of Google DeepMind and 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner.[37] |
2 | Tan Lian Ann / Lim Kok Ann[g] | Singaporean chess master / Singaporean chess player and microbiologist.[38] |
The regulations and format of the world championship are slightly different from the 2023 edition.[36]
The time control for each game in the classical portion of the match is 120 minutes per side for the first 40 moves and 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting with move 41.
The match will be best of 14 games; a score of at least 7½ would win the world championship. If the score is equal after 14 games, tiebreak games with faster time controls will be played:
Players are not allowed to agree to a draw before Black's 40th move. A draw claim before then is only permitted if a threefold repetition or stalemate has occurred.[39]
Prior to the match, Ding and Gukesh have played against each other three times at classical time controls. Ding won two games with the black pieces during the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament,[40][41] whilst their most recent pre-championship game during the 2024 Sinquefield Cup resulted in a draw.[42]
Ding wins | Draw | Gukesh wins | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Classical | Ding (White) – Gukesh (Black) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Gukesh (White) – Ding (Black) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
Total | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
Blitz / rapid / exhibition | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Total | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
A poll of various grandmasters before the match began found Gukesh a substantial favorite, mainly because of Ding's poor form over the past couple of months.[44] In an October 2024 interview, Gukesh commented that he generally did not "believe in predictions and who are the favorites", and stated that he tried to "be at [his] best every day and play a good game".[45]
Before the match, Gukesh specified that he is working with Grzegorz Gajewski, who was also his second during the 2024 Candidates Tournament.[45][46] Ding Liren is working with Richárd Rapport,[47] who was his main second in the 2023 championship.[48]
The games begin at 17:00 local time (SGT), which is 14:30 (IST) & 09:00 UTC.[36]
Colours were drawn at the opening ceremony. Gukesh received the white pieces for the first game.[49] Colours alternate thereafter, with no switching at the halfway point.[36]
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If the match ends in less than fourteen games, then the closing ceremony may be moved forward.[36][50]
Rating | Match games | Points | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | |||
Gukesh Dommaraju (IND) | 2783 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ||||||||||||
Ding Liren (CHN) | 2728 | 1 | ½ | 1½ |
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
The first game of the match, a 42-move win for Ding, was played on 25 November. Ding surprised observers by playing the combative French Defense, an uncommon opening at top level but an opening that he had last played in game 7 of the World Chess Championship 2023 against Ian Nepomniachtchi.[52] He then spent 28 minutes thinking on move seven while in a still relatively well-known position. Meanwhile, Gukesh was still in his preparation, blitzing out the attacking novelty 10.g4!? Ding's 10...Qa5, however, took Gukesh out of his preparation as Xie Jun believed "That they haven't played this line before. They analyzed, they prepared, and they probably knew the plans, but this is the first time they gave it on the board. It's a very complicated position – the way they played is a little bit out of control."[37]
Down on the clock in a complicated middlegame, Ding quickly spotted 18...Nb2! with queenside play, putting pressure on both Gukesh's position and his clock. With Ding's pieces infiltrating his position, Gukesh faltered with 22.Qe1? and his position crumbled. Ding made a slight inaccuracy with 27...fxe6?! (correct was 27...Bxe6!), giving Gukesh an opportunity to salvage the game, but although Gukesh spotted the idea, he executed incorrectly. Ding made no further errors and converted his advantage to a win, his first in classical chess since he defeated Max Warmerdam in January during the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2024.[37][51] This also marked the first time in 14 years that a win was registered in Game 1, after Veselin Topalov defeated Viswanathan Anand with the white pieces during the World Chess Championship 2010.[53]
At the post-game press conference, Ding was elated with his performance, stating, "Well, of course I feel very good—I haven’t won a single classical game for a long time and I managed to do that!" Gukesh on the other hand remarked, "It was just a tactical oversight by me. It can happen, it’s a long match, and about my opponent’s form, I think I expected nothing else. I expected the best version of him, and we have a long match ahead, so it’s only more exciting now!"[51]
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
The second game of the match, a 23-move draw, was played on 26 November. After Ding opted for the traditional Giuoco Pianissimo, commentator David Howell expressed surprise at the choice of 1.e4, noting that "He rarely employs the king's pawn openings until the last few months, when he has been experimenting a bit with it – he doesn't seem like a natural e4 player to me, but here we are!"[38] Ding chose a quiet line, but offered Gukesh complicated play with 10.dxc4, inviting 10...Bb4!?. Aware that he was facing preparation, Gukesh declined. In a balanced position, Ding had a slight opportunity to play on with 20.h4, creating less space for his opponent, but the position would have remained even. Ding instead chose to repeat moves, resulting in a draw.[54]
At the post-game press conference, Gukesh stated, "This early, with Black, was nowhere close to a must-win. I was never going to do anything stupid." Ding made comments to the same effect, remarking that "I was feeling a little up and down. I was slightly worse in the middle game. I thought I had misplayed."[55]