World Chess C’ship: Chances created but no breakthrough in game 8

After a pulsating draw in game 7, action on Wednesday at the World Chess Championship in Singapore featured both Ding Liren and the challenger create chances in game 8, before shaking hands for a draw.

With five consecutive draws being played out after 8 games, the score remains tied at 4 points apiece.

A new Liren opening

Game 8 on Wednesday was the fourth game for Liren with white pieces.

And when he moved his pawn to c4, an English Opening, the champion had begun with the fourth different opening move.

Subsequently, there were early exchanges on the board.

Ding Liren's knight leaped over the India’s to capture Gukesh's bishop, in front of the king.

The Indian teenager then responded with knight scalping Liren’s white knight.

By that point, the Chinese had spent 16 more minutes by the 8th move.

Gukesh, in comparison, was up by almost 25 minutes on the clock after 9 moves.

At the 11 move mark, the game was on an even keel.

Liren, however, had used up an hour of his time for just 15 moves. Gukesh, on the contrary, had 30 more minutes to play with.

Game 8⃣ at the #FIDEWorldChampionship ends in a stalemate! 🤝

Gukesh refused the draw by three-fold repetition despite Ding having the upper hand, and it eventually ended that way. Bold from Gukesh and a crazy game of chess!

🇮🇳4-4🇨🇳#Dingvsgukesh #GukeshDing pic.twitter.com/iTWaowlB60

— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) December 4, 2024

Jostling for positions

During the middle game, Gukesh began to dominate for a short period of time with his bishop taking up a white pawn.

But not one to give up, Liren, after the 26th move, worked his bishop to threaten Gukesh's queen.

It was at this stage that chess legend Susan Polgar suggested that Liren was in trouble.

"It would take another miracle for Ding to save this game,” she posted on X.

But then, as has been typical of the champion, Liren played himself out of trouble.

Thereafter, after a few moves from Gukesh, which Polgar thought were strange, Liren was back in his groove.

Gukesh now had just over 8 minutes to make 5 moves, while the Chinese was better placed with over 10 minutes to make 10 moves.

It was at the stage that Liren began repeating moves, hinting at a draw, which Gukesh promptly declined.

On the 40th move, Gukesh played a 41...Qa2+, yet again declining a draw.

But finally, a looming draw was inevitable.

And after 51 moves, Gukesh, who had declined a draw offer on the 41st move despite being in inferior position, agreed to share points.