After seven drawn games in a row, the chess match between Ding Liren and Gukesh is now very tense. The score is tied at 5-5, and there are only four classical games left to play before possible tie-breaks. Game 10 was particularly dull, with both players agreeing to a draw after just 36 moves.
If the score stays tied after 14 games, they’ll have to play four rapid games, each lasting 15 minutes with an extra 10 seconds for every move. If they’re still tied after that, it will go to a blitz playoff. Ding seems to prefer making draws to keep things safe and possibly reach the tie-breaks, while Gukesh needs to take risks and try to win with his White pieces in the upcoming games.
Gukesh explained that losing any game now would be very costly, so he must play carefully. He sometimes reviews his games with his dad during the car ride to the press room, which helps him improve even more. In Game 10, Ding played safe and chose to end the game early without taking any big risks.
It’s hard to predict how this match will go. Ding prefers to keep playing draws, while Gukesh wants to push for a win in the classical games. They might even see some new strategies from Gukesh, especially with his first move. Ding is very good at rapid tie-breaks, having won his world title that way last year.
Chess expert Anish Giri noted that Gukesh has been the attacking player in this match and seems more confident. The big question is, can he find a way to truly win?
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