FIDE World Chess Championship: Gukesh squanders advantage to settle for draw against Ding Liren in Game 7

Youngest-ever challenger D Gukesh settles for a draw against defending champion Ding Liren in a marathon World Chess Championship game.

The youngest-ever challenger to the world crown, D Gukesh let go of a very promising position and had to settle for a fourth consecutive draw against defending champion Ding Liren of China in a marathon seventh game of the World Chess Championship in Singapore on Tuesday (December 3, 2024).

The stalemate, which came after five hours and 22 minutes of nerve-wracking play, left both players on an identical tally of 3.5 points each, still shy of four more points in order to win the championship.

The two players signed peace after 72 moves.

World Chess Championship 2024 Game 7 Highlights

It turned out to be a tough day in office again for Liren, who was staring at a losing position for a long time, till Gukesh blundered. The Indian, playing white, got a huge advantage but miscalculated to let the Chinese off the hook in what was the longest game of the match thus far.

It was a miraculous save by Liren after getting into what the chess pundits termed as a lost rook and minor piece endgame.

Earlier in the day, Gukesh yet again tightened the noose in the opening. He has clearly been the better player when it's come to springing opening surprises.