Musings on Chess
Saturday, December 14, 2024
The straw that broke the camel's back- Game 14
Friday, December 13, 2024
Balancing on a tightrope - Game 13
After a long last back to 1.e4 to try and break down the French. This was a very tough fight, where Gukesh had Ding on the ropes, but Ding dodged defeat like a magician! At some point Ding could have played more positively and not just for equality, by sacrificing the exchange. This would have resonated confidence to continue from the last game, however Ding seems to have gone back to defensive mindset as he was in many of the earlier games. But at the very end, he found mighty good resources to defend the game by balancing on a tight rope despite time pressure.
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
The potential of potential - game 12
Ding produced one of his best when pushed to dire straits. He played such a controlled game where there was never a chance for Black to completely equalize the game at all. I do not remember him having done it in his match against Nepo too. Though his game six win against Nepo was a great game, but even there Nepo had some chances to equalise at several points in the game, even though some where hard to find. In this game Ding used the potential energy to great effect. His pieces seemed to have more potential than his opponent, and this was the single most important factor in deciding the game.
Monday, December 9, 2024
Preparation and Mind games - game 11
After a rather eventless draw in the 10th game, this game was turbo charged. Gukesh showed intent to surprise Ding, even with a not an entirely theoretical acceptable opening surprise with the White pieces. His opening surprise cost Ding about an hour on the clock, but Ding played perfectly acceptable moves and, in an attempt, to cash in on the time advantage Gukesh played a couple of moves which not only entirely lost his advantage he was also in a very risky position strategically speaking. To classical players it even looked his position was close to hopeless! Clearly a question of nerves. After that Ding starts playing in maximalist style, which he has not done in this match. He had every chance to retain a slight better position without any risk but decided against it. But after a few moves he turned pessimistic after he countered a surprise from Gukesh who fought on valiantly. And the final time pressure phase led to an abrupt collapse. Fatigue is kicking in with there being three games in a row before rest day and all the tension of the score. Apart from this psychology and mind games play a very unique role! We are in for a extremely interesting end of the match, as Ding is capable of recovery, as he showed last time.
Calm before the storm - Game 10
In connection with the last game, this was perhaps also the game where the equilibrium was not disturbed at all, or rather even tried to! Ding perhaps got a very very slight edge or atleast a pleasant position from the opening. But he resolutely avoided creating any sort of imbalance and allowed the game to drift to a draw rather easily maintaining the deadlock in the scores!
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 e6 4. e3 c5 5. Be2!? Bd6 6. dxc5 Bxc57. c4!?
White has transposed the game from London to a Queen's Gambit Declined.
O-O 8. O-O Nc6
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Catalan solidity - Game 9
Gukesh surprised Ding with the Catalan, a mainstream line that Ding himself is an expert on with White. Despite a slightly lesser played idea in the Catalan, avoiding b2-b3. But there were only a couple of interesting moments in the game.
In this position after Black's 11 th move White went for
12.Rac1 Rfd8 13. b4!?
instead of 13.b3
13.... c5!
This came after a lot of thought, but clearly the most critical move, and an easy one for Ding
14. bxc5 bxc5 15. Qb2!?
15.... Nb6
Hikaru suggested that 15... Qb6 was the easiest way to equalise. 16. Nb3 dxc4 17. Ba5 Qb5 18. Bxd8 Rxd8 19. dxc5 Bxc5
16. Ba5 dxc4 17. Nxc4
Bxf3!?
After deep thought Ding chooses a position which might be a trifle worse,but is nevertheless solid. He did not choose a line that concretely lead to equality, as he missed a particular move on the 19th turn.
17... Nxc4 18. Rxc4 Qxa5 19. Qxb7 Nd7! was the slightly awkward move one had to foresee to force the equality. Ding admitted that he missed this move. 20. dxc5 Rab8 21. Qc6 Rbc8
18. Bxb6 axb6 19. Bxf3 Ra6
This was the last interesting moment of the game. White went for a forcing approach with
20. Qb5?!
The forcing move gives up the advantage, perhaps White could keep the pressure with a very minute advantage with 20. Ne5 Bf8 21. Kg2 or 21.e3 or even 20. e3!?
20... Rxa2 21. Nxb6 Qa7! admittedly Gukesh missed this idea after which Ding equalizes
22. Qb1 Rb8 23. dxc5 Ra6=
Ding completely equalised and the game was drawn after 54 moves.