Ding Liren defeats Ian Nepomniachtchi with London system in world chess championship

Chinese number one Ding Liren has won a “beautiful” game against Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, unleashing a memorable attack.

Ding Liren thinks about his move in Astana, Kazakhstan. Picture: Chess.com

The rollercoaster that is the 2023 chess world championship has taken another unexpected turn as Ding Liren again levelled the score.

The Chinese number one deployed the sleepy London system against his Russian opponent Ian Nepomniachtchi, gaining space on both flanks with pawn pushes.

The first key moment came as Liren exchanged bishop for knight with the move 26. Bxc4.

Ding Liren of China thinks about his move in Astana, Kazakhstan. Picture: Chess.com

Ding Liren exchanged the bishop for the knight, starting a forcing variation. Picture: Chess.com

Liren then attacked Nepomniachtchi’s bishop as he thrust his pawn to h5 and the Russian hurriedly moved his bishop to the c2 square, a move criticised by Chess.com commentator David Howell as impulsive.

Liren grabbed a pawn on the b7 square and retreated his knight to the d6 square, relying on a tactical trick that would have won the queen.

Ding Liren plays white against Ian Nepomniachtchi. Picture: Chess.com

As pressure mounted, Nepomniachtchi made his first big mistake with 32. Qc1+ instead of taking the c3 pawn and equalising the position.

Liren snatched a pawn, giving himself connected passers, as Nepomniachtchi began a rush to queen his pawn on the a-file.

Liren responded to the move 36. Bb1 by repositioning his rook to attack the enemy king.

Ding Liren plays white against Ian Nepomniachtchi. Picture: Chess.com

Nepomniachtchi continued to move his pawn as Liren’s forces surrounded the monarch.

With the stunning move 42. Qc7 Liren set up a combination with a queen sacrifice and checkmate.

“This is just so beautiful from a chess point of view, it is so satisfying,” commentator Anish Giri said. “It’s seriously sick, it’s sick stuff.”

RELATED:

Russian destroys Chinese with Spanish

Telling sign exposes star’s damning blunder

Chinese star goes down in flames

Ding Liren set up a queen sacrifice with the move 42. Qc7. Picture: Chess.com

Ding found the brilliant move 44. Qf7, setting up the unstoppable threat of mate in eight moves. Picture: Chess.com

Liren swept in with his knight and queen, surrounding the black king, forcing resignation.

The Russian realised he was doomed and threw in the towel, not allowing the queen sacrifice to play out on the board.

Giri called Liren’s play “disturbingly beautiful” and described him as a “genius”.

“A beautiful finish from Ding,” Howell said.

The players are now tied with three points each.

The win means there have been four decisive games so far in the match, a bloodbath compared to previous years which featured Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, who declined to defend his title.