French drama as China’s Ding Liren defeats India’s Gukesh Dommaraju in chess championship

The first game of the world chess championship was an explosive affair as China’s Ding Liren fought it out with India’s Gukesh Dommaraju.

The battle for the chess crown had an explosive start as Chinese star Ding Liren forced Indian challenger Gukesh Dommaraju to resign.

Playing with the black pieces, Ding took the first game of a possible 14 in the world chess championship match, which is being held in Singapore.

Chinese chess grandmaster Ding Liren (R) and India’s Gukesh Dommaraju (L) compete during the start of the FIDE World Chess Championship in Singapore on November 25, 2024. Picture: AFP

Ding, who has struggled with form this year, employed the French defence and was initially cramped, as is often the case with the black pieces, playing into the classical Steinitz variation.

But a crucial blunder at move 22 by the teenager Gukesh gave Ding a decisive advantage.

He retreated his queen instead of pushing forward with his pawns aggressively, which computers indicate would have given him an almost even game.

Ding pounced, snaking in with his dark-square bishop and dominating the position with his knight, rook and queen.

Gukesh made a crucial blunder on move 22.

Although Ding found himself up two pawns, the game remained tense as the time on both players’ clocks dwindled.

The dynamic position meant a single blunder by either player could cost them the game, and Ding sought to exchange queens.

The Chinese player held his nerve with precise moves and eventually snapped up the a2 pawn, putting him three pawns up and in an unassailable position.

Millions of people are watching the game around the world as the Indian teen takes on the Chinese star in the world chess championship. Picture: AFP

Gukesh resigned after the 42nd move as Ding nestled his king safely in the corner.

It was a big win for the reigning world chess champion, after he took the crown in a tense struggle against Ian Nepomniachtchi last year following Magnus Carlsen’s abdication.

“This victory is immense, it is so important that he shows his strength, that he shows his ability,” commentator Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgár said of Ding.

Gukesh D, aged just 18, will be soul-searching about what went wrong and will play with the black pieces in the next game, scheduled for November 26.