Defending champion Ding Liren and challenger D Gukesh battled to yet another draw in the sixth game of the 2024 World Chess Championship final on Sunday. With this result, both players remain evenly matched at 3 points apiece in the 14-game series that will determine the ultimate winner.
The sixth game began at a brisk pace, with each player making sixteen moves within the first 30 minutes as the London System set the stage for a dynamic opening. However, the rapid exchanges soon gave way to a slower, more calculated midgame. Gukesh, after his bold initial play, took significant time to deliberate his next moves, while Liren exhibited extreme caution, taking over 42 minutes to decide on his 21st move, where he used his queen to capture one of Gukesh’s pawns. The Indian teenager quickly responded in turn, showcasing his determination.
In a dramatic moment, Gukesh declined what appeared to be a silent draw offer from Liren, who attempted to maneuver toward a threefold repetition. Instead of accepting, the young Indian continued to press forward, displaying impressive courage and strategy. Despite this, the game reached the critical 40-move mark with Gukesh’s clock showing just over three minutes remaining, triggering an additional 30 minutes for overtime play—the first such occurrence in the final.
As the game progressed, both players exchanged knights and bishops while holding on to their queens, each maneuvering for a positional advantage. Eventually, Liren offered yet another queen trade, which Gukesh accepted, transitioning the match into a double rook endgame. Despite their efforts to outwit one another, neither could find a decisive breakthrough, and they settled for a handshake, marking the fourth draw in six games of this intense championship.
With the scores tied, the battle for the world chess crown remains finely poised as the players prepare for the next encounter in this high-stakes series.
