World Chess Championship: D Gukesh draws against Ding Liren in 13th game
Singapore, Dec 11: Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh tried his best but could not break past a resilient defending champion Ding Liren of China and had to settle for a draw after 68 moves in the 13th and penultimate game of the World Chess championship here on Wednesday.
With the scores tied at 6.5-6.5 and only one game of classical chess to go, it is only likely that the match will be extended to the tie-break stage where games of shorter duration will decide the winner.
As was expected and predicted, the 18-year-old Gukesh went for the King pawn on his opening move and yet again faced Liren's first-choice opening in French defense.
The Chinese yet again spent a lot of time in the opening phase of the game when Gukesh came out with a novel idea early, but it was clear right from the beginning that there was little for the white.
The middle game saw the exchange of a couple of minor pieces that gave Gukesh's white only a small advantage optically. And as the game progressed, it was clear that the exchange of pawns on the queen side will only lead to an equal endgame.
Gukesh, knowing fully well that this could be his last chance with the favourable colour, left no stone unturned as he kept looking for more but Liren kept his cool and traded pieces when necessary to reach a queen-plus-rook endgame that was just level.
The players nevertheless fought on for a long time. The pieces changed hands and eventually it was a queen and rook plus pawns on the board.
Much as he tried, Gukesh did everything in the book to keep pushing for more even in the theoretical drawn endgame but Liren was up to the task.
The game was eventually drawn to a two versus three rook-and-pawns endgame, and Gukesh played on till there was no life left in the position.
Liren held fort till the very end and will go into the last game of the match as favourite.
The moves:
D Gukesh vs Ding Liren
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.a3 Be7 8.Be3 Nb6 9.Nf4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Nc4 11.Bxc4 dxc4 12.Nge2 b5 13.0–0 0–0 14.Nc3 Rb8 15.Nh5 f5 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Qf3 Qe8 18.Nxf6+ Rxf6 19.Qe2 Qg6 20.f3 Rf8 21.Rad1 Ne7 22.Bf4 Rb6 23.Bc7 Rb7 24.Bd6 Re8 25.Bxe7 Rexe7 26.Qe5 a6 27.d5 exd5 28.Qxd5+ Qe6 29.Qc5 Re8 30.Rde1 Qf7 31.Ne4 Rf8 32.Nd6 Rc7 33.Qe5 Qf6 34.Qd5+ Kh8 35.Re5 Re7 36.Rfe1 Rxe5 37.Rxe5 h6 38.Qc5 Bd7 39.Ne4 Qf4 40.Re7 Bf5 41.Qd4 Rg8 42.h3 Qc1+ 43.Kf2 Bxe4 44.Rxe4 c3 45.bxc3 Qxa3 46.Kg3 Qb3 47.Re7 a5 48.Rb7 Qc4 49.Qe5 Qc6 50.Qxb5 Qxc3 51.Ra7 Qe1+ 52.Kh2 Qb4 53.Qxb4 axb4 54.Rb7 Ra8 55.Rxb4 Ra2 56.Kg3 Kh7 57.Rb5 Kg6 58.f4 Kf6 59.Kf3 Rc2 60.g3 Rc3+ 61.Kg4 Ra3 62.h4 Rc3 63.Rb6+ Kf7 64. f5 h5+ 65. Kf4 Rc4+ 66. Kf3 Rc3+ 67. Kf4 Rc4+ 68. Kf3 Rc3+ Match drawn.
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Siddaramaiah, I will abide by Cong high command decision on leadership issue, says Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said both he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will abide by any decision takeb by the Congress high command on the leadership issue in the state.
Speaking to reporters after returning from Delhi, the Congress state president said, he has full faith in the party leadership and that it would take an approapriate decision at the appropriate time.
The remarks comes amid speculations within the party and political circles about a possible leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, when the results for assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two assembly segments in the Karnataka are announced.
"I will not speak about political issues before the media. I have already said that when the time comes you will get to know. So I will not tell you," Shivakumar said in response to a question on discussions with the Congress high command during his Delhi visit over the last couple of days.
He asserted that there are no issues within the party, and whatever has been already decided will take place accordingly.
Responding to a question on senior Minister Satish Jarkiholi's reported statement about internal differences, the Deputy CM said, "nothing like that, they (high command) will do what they have to do at the appropriate time."
"There are no issues, we have faith in our party, they will do what they have to," he added.
Asked about the issue of leadership change as the government is about to complete three years in office, Shivakumar said, "... I have never discussed this issue. The CM and I have both said that we will accept whatever and whenever the high command decides, and we will abide by it."
He declined to comment when asked whether any "good news" can be expected by his birthday on May 15.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025. The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
Responding to a question on the BJP's criticism against the Congress government over its decision on internal reservation for Scheduled Castes, alleging injustice to several communities and questioning its intent behind the revised quota formula, Shivakumar said the BJP could not do anything on internal reservation while in power, but the Congress has kept its promise.
"We have found a solution and tried to do justice to all sections among SCs. We have fulfilled the promise made and every one should go together," he said.
Shivakumar warned his party workers against erecting flex banners for his birthday on May 15.
"For May 15, I want to tell everyone that no one should put up flex banners or advertisements for my birthday. If flex are installed I will ensure that cases are registered by authorities against those responsible, whether they are party workers or followers....no one should put such things on roads, this is my personal request," he said, adding that he has asked commissioners of the city corporations to register cases and impose heavy fines.
