After weeks of intense matches, Ding Liren became the 2023 world Chess champion, a sacred title after Magnus Carlsen’s long reign.
On April 30th, the highly anticipated FIDE World Chess Championship came to a climactic finish. After weeks of intense and grueling matches, Ding Liren emerged victorious, defeating the Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi and claiming the coveted title of World Chess Champion for the first time in his career.
In what was a thrilling and closely contested final, Liren played 14 long games against Nepomniachtchi, with the time control set at 120 minutes for the first moves, followed by 60 minutes for the next moves, and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game. Indeed, this very long format can be very exhausting, but also full of twists and turns.
Not a real dethronement?
While Ding Liren’s victory is a tremendous achievement and a major milestone for Chinese chess, some have questioned whether it can be considered a true dethronement of the legendary Magnus Carlsen, who has held the world champion title for nearly a decade.
Carlsen opted not to participate in this year’s tournament due to a reported “lack of motivation,” leaving many wondering how Ding Liren would have fared against the Norwegian master. Nevertheless, Ding Liren’s triumph is a testament to his talent, hard work, and dedication to the game.
What's next?
As big fans of Chess, we’re really excited to see what the future holds for Ding Liren and the world of chess. The FIDE World Chess Championship showcased the very best of the game, and we look forward to witnessing more thrilling matches and inspiring performances in the years to come!
In the meantime, how about rewatching some more Chess’ championships? If you miss watching Magnus Carlsen’s gameplay, we got you covered with the Champions Chess Tour 2023, so stay tuned!
