FIDE World Championship: Ian Nepomniachtchi v. Ding Liren – Can Ding Equalize with the Black Pieces?

The 2023 FIDE World Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan is the most important over-the-board classical event of the year and decides who will be the next world champion. After a record-breaking Candidates Tournament, world number-two Nepomniachtchi will face world number-three Ding Liren in a battle for Magnus Carlsen’s throne after the current world champion abdicated his title.

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54 Comments

  1. No matter the outcome, these are outstanding chess GMs at the top of their fields. Nothing but respect and admiration.

  2. Ugh, I do not care to see Howell on the broadcast

  3. surprise for newbies : is how is d4 a surprise 🙂 ( they analyze this) and it takes 1 min for first counter
    move!

  4. Ding is back was savage by Anish 😂😂😂

  5. Commentator 1: talks about chess
    Commentator 2: talks about chess
    Commentator 3: * me me me me me *

  6. This is the best commentary panel in all of chess.

  7. pls enlarge the chess board!

  8. cannot see the chess board so tiny!

  9. Ding did well. Slight plus, nice outpost on c4… but why push? I think Ding wants to come back with white.

  10. Cause they're talking alot about "whats right and whats wrong" or "knight on the rim are dim" etc.

    In german we have a saying:"Ausnahmen bestätigen die Regel",
    which is something like: Exceptions validate the rule.

    This saying means, basic rules are fine, however somewhere, sometimes you need to break a rule to achive something bigger. Also you always should question such rules/laws.

  11. What would Ian think if Ding got up and 5 minutes later GOAT Carlsen sat down.

  12. It would have been really exciting if Nepo would have castled queenside and played the Rubinstein Attack!

  13. 12 moves into the game before any of the three commentators said anything of any interest to the average person that was a comment about Fisher. The only one exerting any kind of professionalism is David is unfortunate

  14. 12 moves 15 extremely which does not bode well for nepo

  15. Contrary to what you may think yes your mistakes we're quite obvious

  16. I think the body action of meepo is already showing his he knows he has to win this to win this if he wants to be this is a decisive game for him. It is mine nepo must win this in order to validate himself

  17. I think you are misreading the body language. Nepo he's nervous meanwhile ding Cool calm and collected. Somewhat like fisher while playing each of his Russian opponents

  18. Watch ding slow this thing down dramatically

  19. Notice the pown chain ding has this is causing nepo to consider a flank attack which ding will ambush

  20. Nepo looks like a collage kid after a night of cramming for a college final

  21. Giri I think you're wrong. Nepo must either attack upon chain at the base or he's going to have to launch a major Frank attack it will be a blood bath

  22. As I see it ding waiting for nepo to commit and then we'll see a game

  23. Go check out Fisher's third game against Boris

  24. Go read The art of war and I think you will understand dings position it is all about deception I will give you when you are strong you must appear weak when you are weak you must appear strong

  25. It is too early in the game to break the pawn chain

  26. These last moves I'm talking about Ding

  27. Once again I remind you of fishers games with Boris

  28. Nepo knight to a4 followed by knight to b5 sacrifice the night to the top of the pawn chain then he has a chance

  29. To answer your question black needs to wait for whites blunder

  30. Let me call your attention back to the h3 move. Sometimes a seemingly unimportant move doesn't come to light until two or three games Fisher was really great about

  31. David thank you for making my point this is about a long hard journey

  32. Guys keep in mind if frogs carry 45 we wouldn't be able to eat frog legs

  33. This Daniel McFarland guy needs to shut up lmao

  34. The balance in knowledge and personality styles between Danya, Anish, and David is perfect.

  35. Man, whenever I look at those official FIDE chess pieces I am just stunned at how ugly they look.

  36. I don't know why I feel this way because I'm not a chess tourney player or even care about my rating, but seeing Ding at the board so much this game really warms my heart.

  37. This is the Nepo arc, they celebrate his victory. But then Rapport disappears. It's been 8 years. Ding has defended his title against Nepo amongst many other super GMs seeking to be the ultimate chess senpai. The year 2031, Ding feels he has achieved everything there is to achieve. But still misses his nakama deeply. But even tho his heart is burdened, his pieces never blundered. He channeled this great emotion into sharpening his skills. Perfecting his craft. The year, is 2031…. The world chess championship candidates…. Front page news, "Chess report! Return of Rapport".
    Dings mind races, baited breathe…
    For a moment, the unshakable chess Champion, usually stoic and unfazed freezes… How could this be?
    He clicks on the article, and sure as the sun will rise and set, the name is indeed registered to compete. He attempts to get in contact but to no avail… Could this really be his estranged nakama? Where had he been? Why wouldn't he answer? Ding waits, what else could he do… The WCC qualifiers begins… Ang in walks, none other than Rapport … Ding tries to get close, "Rapport-san!!" He yells with desperation! Yet his aura was different, ominous, malicious…. Next to him, was none other than Niemann-san… They had both disappeared in the same week, all those years ago… Surely it's just a coincidence, Ding-san assured himself. He tried to usher himself closer, but several arbiters placed themselves between Ding and Rapport. "What is the meaning of this!?) Ding asked himself… "The matches haven't even started, surely there is no such rules in place!"
    "Your grace. The head arbiter said sarcastically haven't you heard? The WCC rulers have been… Adjusted… Coincidentally, implemented just before this tournament. We ARE, the representatives of FIDE… Surely you believe us? Of course… We were the ones who made the changes…"
    FIDE, an outdated organization that had plagued the chess world since the distant years of the Magnus, even the Kasparov dynasties… Yet it had only grown in power, uncontested, they monopolized all of chess…
    "I…. I understand… Of course…" Ding uttered, biting his cheek until it bled…. There was nothing even he could do to stand up to the FIDE criminals. He turned to return to the sidelines, as he did, the piercing gaze of Hans met his own… A devilish smirk… It was only a split second as the qualifiers made their way to their boards.
    Just then, Ding exclaimed but he was banned!!!! The arbiters retorted, "his van has been lifted. He has been rehabilitated and deeply regrets his past decisions. We cannot punish someone so young and passionate about the game to be exiled forever. What life would that be?" Ding fell silent…. Returning to the observers section. He watched in other dismay as Hans and Rapport played a caliber of chess not seen since the legend Carlsen senpai was at his pinnacle… Game after game, they shredded through their opponents… Ding was sick to his stomach… Finally the day of the final match for the qualifiers, it was Hans vs Rapport… Something was off, Hans played terribly almost as if…. He was losing, on purpose? Over just as quickly as it began. The winner, without a single loss nor draw… Rapport…. Ding fell Ill, Hans looked at Ding… Their eyes hadn't met since the tournament started…. Again, a smirk so unsightly Ding felt it was that of the devil himself… The stadium cleared, "Rapport-sama!!! Please answer me!!!" Yelled Ding…. Rapport finally looked for the briefest instant, his eyes were empty, hazed as that of a corpse. Ding saw what looked to be a tear fall… The arbiters quickly ushered him away…. Ding reflected on what to do… There was something very, very wrong… He contemplated endlessly… At this point in his career, he could calculate nearly a billions games at once, and within each of these games millions of lines all happening simultaneously…. But as he sat alone, his mind fell silent… Blank… Dark… He didn't cry, Rapport had shed one tear… Yet for Dings heart, it was a million too many… Anger engulfed him…. What had happened to his once closest nakama? Ding looked over his trophies, pondered all he had achieved. And decided, he would not defend his title. He could not play his nakama in such a fierce battle… Then, there was a knock at the door…. Ding didn't respond… He couldn't move…. How could he…. It was if he was frozen in time…. Until an unmistakable voice exclaimed- "Ding, you must speak with me!" Ding snapped back to reality… Opening the door nearly instantaneously. There stood, Carlsen senpai… Ding froze, he knew the voice, how could he forget it… Carlsen-sama had chosen not to defend his title. And on the day of the last game Ding became world champion, it was tied. Ian and Ding were in a fierce battle, it was Armageddon. Before it started, an announcement was made. Carlsen-sama had sent a letter to be read at the conclusion of the game. When Ding won, everyone clapped, but even more, the urgently wanted the world to see was written… "Congratulations, to my successor. Do not become complacent… You must both, no- you must all! Continue to sharpen your blade. There is a dark storm looming over the chess world, it will take our best to refute our fate… Or I fear it will be sealed… Stay vigilant, to all of my chess nakama… I have taught you all that you know, but not all that I know…"
    Ding and the entire chess world wanted to ask Carlsen what he meant by such an ominous provocation. But he had disappeared, from over the board, online chess and altogether. He was like a gust of wind…
    Ding looked at Carlsen-san, and before he could ask anything Carlsen-san said 'Surely you've figured it out… You are my successor…."
    In that moment, everything made sense… The ominous warning from the undisputed chess goat, the strange disappearance and reemergence of Rapport and Hans, FIDE, it all made sense. This is the storm Carlsen-san had warmed the chess world of….
    "Senpai", Ding exclaimed… "Ithink I understand… But why did you leave you're chess nakama without telling us this was coming!" His fist clenched. Filled with anger. "They… THEY TOOK RAPPORT-SAN, HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!!" Finally, the tears Ding had held in for so long surfaced. Then, Carlsen-San said "I am sorry, Ding-sama… You have been through a lot… I'm sorry I left you with this burden for all of these years… I was gathering knowledge on theory and all aspects of the game. Calculating every possible line in the entirety of chess… And I have finally solved chess… The holy grail of the game… Beginning to end… I also exposed the corruption between Niemann, FIDE and all other conspirators but the corruption had run to deep … All I could do was prepare, and hope I would have at least a couple allies left upon my return… As it now stands, the only ones left are you, Nakamura and Gothamchess…." Ding realized just how dire the situation had become… "Just you, Nakamura and me remain?" Ding said, making sure he heard correctly…
    "That is our unfortunate reality…" Said Carlsen-san.
    "Your nakama is being controlled by the same AI that is controlling FIDE and all others corrupted… I have an ally working on disrupting this device but it may not be in time….
    So I must train you quickly, on how to solve chess entirely. You won't be playing your nakama, but a chess AI unlike anything the world has ever seen working through him without any weaknesses."
    "I'm sorry, I can't, I won't play my Nakama…. I will forfeit the match… I can't battle my closest nakama… Even if he isn't there mentally, the soul of a chess player will always remain." Said ding, defeated down to his very spirit.
    "We don't have time for this!
    That's exactly what Niemann wants!
    If you don't play your nakama and win then you know who it will be that does! Surely you remember, it's how you became champion in the first place! I HAD to leave the game, to SAVE the game! I had given my LIFE, MY SOUL for chess! And I left chess in YOUR hands for safekeeping! I knew it would be safe until my return. If you don't play your nakama then it was all in vain! Right now, you are the reigning chess champion. I can't simply tag in to defend you're title I relinquished, things aren't so simple! " Carlsen articulated the situation just as precisely as he did a line of chess theory.
    Ding paused… He knew Carlsen senpai was right…. They sat in silence for an entire minute… Dings tears had stopped… Steam began eminating from his body… He knew, win or lose, this was a war he could not walk away from… He locked eyes with King Magnus, he felt the infinite wisdom behind these eyes… "Where do we begin, senpai?" Ding asserted, knowing what must be done.
    Carlsen smiled, "I am glad it was you, that succeeded me…" Carlsen said with pride… Then his eyes gestured towards the board in the middle of the room. Already set… Ding looked and said… "I'm ready, senpai…."

    "To be continued"

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