World Chess Championship: For the first time in 14 years, the first game of the World Chess Championship began with a decisive result. And defying predictions, it was not India’s in-form Kishore Gukesh who landed the first punch. Ding Liren, who has not won a classical game since January this year, managed to win the first game with the black pieces. The second game on Tuesday ended in a draw after an early struggle.
“The first game must have been a big confidence booster for Ding. Because, Ding had not won a classical game for a very long time. This is definitely not healthy for anyone’s self-confidence. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to win a game in classical chess. Therefore, it must have been good for him to win after such a long time and it must have also boosted his confidence. As a result, it made them feel comfortable today (in Game 2),” explains GM Srinath Narayanan Indian Express,
talking about GukeshAfter the loss in Game 1, the captain of the Indian men’s team at the Chess Olympiad, who has coached Arjun Erigaysi and Nihal Sarin, says, “It felt like Gukesh was not at his best, but that was expected to some extent. This was his first game in a World Championship match and in general, people always need time to bring out their best. They do not do this in the first game of the event. But it is too early to judge Ding’s form as he has played very well so far. But it was nothing extraordinary. They didn’t have to do anything extraordinary to win the first game. He didn’t really push himself that hard in the second game. It’s a little early to tell yet, but my early impression is that Ding is waiting for Gukesh to come to him rather than building something himself.
Srinath also says that if there is any player who can take the defeat of the first game and be patient, it is Gukesh. Srinath pointed to Gukesh’s loss to Alireza Firozha in the Candidates Tournament and how he still won the competition.
“In that sense, Gukesh has certainly been exceptional. He has shown that he is special. The way he handled the defeat against Alireza in the candidates and then made a comeback. He has been exceptional in handling unexpected setbacks with composure. He’s just able to bounce back. So that’s also one of the factors that I think gives him good chances in such a tough match.
Srinath also cautions against reading too much into what we have seen in the first two matches. “By Game 6, I think we’ll have a better idea of how it’s shaping up. It’s certainly the best possible start Ding could have asked for. Winning the first game with the black pieces certainly puts him in a good position for the match. But it won’t be a special factor or that alone will win him the match.”