The title of world chess champion in Astana will be decided by today's tie-break, since the result after the 14th game of classical chess between the Russian Jan Nepomnjašćnji and the Chinese Ding Liren is tied - 7:7. Yesterday, the last game of classical chess was played, and after six and a half hours of fighting in which the Chinese had white pieces, there was no winner and the grandmasters agreed on a draw after the 90th move.
It is the longest game in a match in Astana, but the record for world championship games belongs to Nepomnjašći and Magnus Karlsen. In 2021, the Norwegian won after the 136th move.
Today the champion will be determined - additional criteria!
- I thought I had more pace in this position with the white pieces. I thought I had some chance of attacking. I was very optimistic about Ng5 and even excited to play it. But then suddenly I had to go on the defensive. I think that was a turning point in the game - said Liren, after the last classic game.
And in it he was closer to defeat, because the Russian played brilliantly on the counter, and the Chinese was saved from failure by an unexpected and brave pawn sacrifice. During 14 games, no chess player managed to win with black pieces, the closest was Nepomnjašnji in the 12th game, when he lost the position he had gained by a mistake in the 26th move and was then defeated.
Today at 11 a.m. the tie-break begins - four games with a time control of 25 minutes, plus 10 seconds per move. If the score remains tied, two games are played with control for five minutes, plus three seconds per move, then two more games if necessary, then three, plus two blitz games until the first victory.
With the draw in Astana in the first rapid game, the white pieces will be Liren. He has a better rating than his competitor in the rapid, and ahead of him in the world is only the Norwegian Karlsen, who gave up his title defense due to lack of motivation. That's how Liren got the opportunity to fight for the chess crown, because he was the runner-up in the pretenders' tournament, where he celebrated Nepomnjašćnji for the second time in a row.
- I had chances, but I didn't make the best use of my time. I hastily lost victory during 14 games of classical chess - said Nepo.
The first Chinese in the history of the match for the title is followed by excellent earnings, the winner receives 55 percent of the prize fund of two million dollars, the loser 45 percent. Or in numbers 1,1 million to the winner and 900 thousand to the loser.
If the winner had been decided in 14 games, he would have received 60 percent of the budget - 1,2 million.
Bonus video:
