World Championship, Game 12

Ding ties the match with an excellent win.

He’s back!

Well, mostly. I don’t think peak Ding Liren has returned just yet, but he has had his moments in this match, and overall game 12 was one of them. Some of his analysis in the post-game press conference was iffy, and he didn’t even see that he could win the exchange with 26.Na7. (Perhaps he was overly enamored with the move in the game, which was also excellent.) Still, his play in the game was very good, and he completely outplayed Gukesh Dommaraju to tie the match and end whatever momentum Gukesh might have enjoyed after winning game 11.

Gukesh looked vulnerable in the game - not so much psychologically as vulnerable in a chess way, as he was completely outclassed and went from an essentially equal position on move 12 to a lost one after his 20th move, making many inaccuracies along the way. Team Ding will no doubt be on the hunt for more lines where Gukesh will be in a similar situation, unable to simplify the position or to go for a counterattack, but where he must instead hold in an asymmetrical position and neutralize White’s ideas as they emerge. (Gukesh is hardly unique in finding such positions difficult to play; they are tough for most of us.)

Before we find out what Ding will cook up for game 14, there’s game 13, and before that there’s a rest day today. (One needed by this blogger, too.) So I’ll see you tomorrow for game 13; meanwhile, here’s game 12, with some comments.