Posted on 04/09/2023 6:54:06 AM PDT by texas booster
The 2023 FIDE World Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan is the most important over-the-board classical event of the year and decides who will be the next world champion.
After a record-breaking Candidates Tournament, world number-two Nepomniachtchi faces world number-three Ding Liren in a battle for Magnus Carlsen's throne after the current world champion abdicated his title.
Looks like the analysts feel that Nepomniachtchi could have won this game while playing the white pieces.
Ding was undefeated in classical chess from August 2017 to November 2018, recording 29 victories and 71 draws. This 100-game unbeaten streak was the longest in top-level chess history, until Magnus Carlsen surpassed it in 2019. Ding is currently No. 3 in classical chess behind Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi, and will be one of the challengers for the upcoming World Chess Championship 2023 (having qualified as Carlsen declined to defend his title).
Nepomniachtchi won the 2010 and 2020 Russian Superfinal and the 2010 European Individual titles. He also won the 2016 Tal Memorial and both the 2008 and 2015 Aeroflot Open events. He won the World Team Chess Championship as a member of the Russian team in Antalya (2013) and Astana (2019). Nepomniachtchi won the 2015 European Team Chess Championship in Reykjavík with the Russian team. In October 2016, Nepomniachtchi was ranked fourth in the world in both rapid chess and blitz chess. He has won two silver medals in the World Rapid Championship and a silver medal at the World Blitz Championship as well as winning the 2008 Ordix Open.
In December 2019, he qualified for the Candidates Tournament 2020–2021 by finishing second in the FIDE Grand Prix 2019. He won the 2021 FIDE Candidates tournament with a round to spare, which qualified him as the challenger in the World Chess Championship 2021 for the world championship title but lost his challenge to defending champion Magnus Carlsen. In July 2022, he won the 2022 FIDE Candidates tournament with a round to spare, thereby winning two Candidates tournaments in a row and again qualifying him to play in the World Chess Championship 2023; additionally, he garnered the highest score in any Candidates tournament since the modern format was introduced in 2013. In October 2022, he won a silver medal in FIDE World Fischer Random Chess Championship 2022. Nepomniachtchi is currently No. 2 in classical chess behind Magnus Carlsen.
Rooting for Ding here.
Nepo won the second game ... looked very strong.
Yes. I watch Agadmator’s commentaries. This could be over in a hurry.
I enjoyed Ding’s comment about Game 2 which Tony displayed, saying the early h3 move was his seconds’ idea but that he didn’t play it well. LOL
Recent championships were snooze-fests, as Tony likes to say, with lots of draws. It's just four games, but only two draws. Much more exciting!
Just watched it, pretty amazing by Ding.
Draws? Draws! We don’t need no stinkin’ draws!
This series is tied at 3 points apiece after Ding’s impressive win today, using the London system.
Agadmator’s video was excellent.
Agreed about Agadmator and his videos.
Game 10 is another tie.
It may be close but Nepo is on his way to becoming the next world chess champion, even if by 1/2 point.
And then Team Magnus lurks in the background ...
Was not aware until Agad’s video today that there was a leak of Ding’s preparation notes.
It’s a shame, for I do not think that Nepo needs the extra info to beat Ding once and then draw all the rest of the games.
Game 11 is a 39 move draw.
Looks like Ding beat Nepo today, tying the series 6 - 6.
Three more ties and then there will be a playoff?
Well, there goes any suspense. I prefer to let Agadmator’s posting surprise me.
If indeed they are tied 6-6, then my understanding is that the match proper ends after 14 games—so two more before the playoff.
I’ll hold my posts for after lunch … still have several tax clients each day and was trying to get an early start on the day.
Hikaru already has a 20 minute discussion of the match up.
Awesome tiebreaker finish in the final minute.
Congrats to Ding for the championship and to Nepo for going for the win rather than settling for a draw.
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