World Chess Championship: D Gukesh loses to Ding Liren in 12th game, both players at 6 points each
Singapore, Dec 9: Indian challenger D Gukesh lost the 12th game against defending champion Ding Liren of China to allow his opponent bounce back and level the World Chess Championship match here on Monday.
The 18-year-old Gukesh was ahead by one point after he notched his second win of the match on Sunday, which came after seven consecutive draws, but Liren's win on Monday brought the things on an even keel.
The two players are now tied at 6 points each with just two games left in the 14-round classical time control format, still shy of 1.5 points in order to win the title.
The remaining two games will be played on Wednesday and Thursday, after rest day on Tuesday.
Irrespective of what happens in the next game on Wednesday, the match will go the distance (14 games) and more likely there will be tiebreaker -- where games are of shorter duration -- to determine the winner.
The 32-year-old Liren had won the opening game before Gukesh emerged victorious in the third game. The second, and the fourth to 10th games were drawn.
In what was the first victory for Liren with his white pieces, Gukesh’s preparation did not come as good as the other 11 games that he played here.
"In the second half, I had chances in many of the games. Today was obviously a bad game, but I wouldn't draw too much from it. Bad games happen. But if you look at the second half overall, I think we are both playing better than the first half," Gukesh said at post-game press conference.
"6-6 is overall the fair result, but since I was leading after yesterday, it is a bit disappointing to lose this game. At least the score is still tied and two more games are remaining."
Liren said he played the 12th game on Monday was his best in recent times.
"Sometimes I perform very well after a loss. It's a very important 12th game. It's maybe the best game I have played in recent times.
"Today I just tried to play the best moves and at some point, I realized my position was much, much better; there was no way to draw.
"I put pressure on my opponent in the whole game, I did not slip today."
The start was an English opening by the Chinese and much to the surprise of the fans, Gukesh went for a position that led to a Benoni defense with colours reversed.
Gukesh started to miss out creating counter play in the middle game as white played just normal developing moves. By the 15th move, though less on time on the clock, white had a small advantage as a central breakthrough looked inevitable, giving Liren the space advantage.
Gukesh’s 17th move did not help his cause as white was able to get the desired break in the centre. Five moves later, another error by Gukesh gave Liren a huge advantage.
Liren’s central pawn made a foray to the sixth rank in what was a near-decisive blow on the 27th move. Gukesh had to part with a couple of pawns. Adding to Gukesh's woes was an imminent rook invasion.
The game ended through a fine tactic by Liren who sacrificed a rook to force matters. The game ended in 39 moves.
For Gukesh, much would depend on how he does in his last remaining white game after the final rest day on Tuesday.
Liren has proved again that he is a tough nut to crack and his second victory in the match was pretty much one-sided compared to many other games in the match that had chances for both sides.
In the previous world championship match against Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, Liren had to come back from behind as many as three times before being crowned the world champion.
The Moves:
1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 d4 5.0–0 Nc6 6.e3 Be7 7.d3 dxe3 8.Bxe3 e5 9.Nc3 0–0 10.Re1 h6 11.a3 a5 12.h3 Be6 13.Kh2 Rb8 14.Qc2 Re8 15.Nb5 Bf5 16.Rad1 Nd7 17.Qd2 Bg6 18.d4 e4 19.Ng1 Nb6 20.Qc3 Bf6 21.Qc2 a4 22.Ne2 Bg5 23.Nf4 Bxf4 24.Bxf4 Rc8 25.Qc3 Nb8 26.d5 Qd7 27.d6 c5 28.Nc7 Rf8 29.Bxe4 Nc6 30.Bg2 Rcd8 31.Nd5 Nxd5 32.cxd5 Nb8 33.Qxc5 Rc8 34.Qd4 Na6 35.Re7 Qb5 36.d7 Rc4 37.Qe3 Rc2 38.Bd6 f6 39.Rxg7+ Black resigned.
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Commercial LPG price hike 'direct blow' to common man: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the union government over the recent hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices, calling it a "direct blow" to the common man and warning that rising fuel and tax burdens were quietly fuelling inflation and hurting livelihoods.
In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister said the increase would severely impact tea shops, darshinis (Quick service restaurants), small hotels, bakeries and street vendors, who depend heavily on commercial LPG, and accused the Centre of pursuing selective economic logic while burdening citizens.
"The recent hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices by about Rs 111 is a direct blow to the common man. Tea shops, small hotels, bakeries and street vendors depend on commercial LPG. When its price rises, food becomes costlier, livelihoods suffer and inflation quietly enters every household," Siddaramaiah said.
Responding to the Union government's explanation that the LPG price rise was due to an increase in Saudi Contract Prices (CP), the Chief Minister questioned the inconsistency in fuel pricing.
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"The Union Government now argues that LPG prices have increased due to the rise in Saudi Contract Prices (CP). If that is the logic, an important question must be answered honestly by Narendra Modi on why have petrol and diesel prices not been reduced when global crude oil prices have been consistently falling?" he asked.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that while Saudi CP may fluctuate, global crude oil prices, the primary input for petrol and diesel, have softened. "Yet petrol and diesel prices remain unchanged, burdening citizens while generating record revenues. This selective application of 'international price logic' raises serious concerns," he said.
The CM also flagged what he described as fiscal injustice towards states, alleging that Karnataka contributes far more to the national exchequer than it receives in return.
"Karnataka contributes 4.5 to 5 lakh crore every year to the national exchequer, but receives barely Rs 60,000 crore in return, often delayed. This is not cooperative federalism, it is fiscal imbalance," he claimed.
He further criticised the Centre over rising railway fares, additional cesses and surcharges outside the GST framework, and what he termed as the shifting of welfare responsibilities to states.
Referring to the VB-G RAM G Act, Siddaramaiah said states were now being forced to bear nearly 40 per cent of the cost, increasing their financial burden.
"India cannot be built by squeezing its workers, taxing its poor, and weakening its States. Economic governance must be rooted in fairness, transparency and compassion, not selective justifications," he said, adding "a strong nation respects its people, empowers its States, and ensures growth is shared fairly."
