The 2023 FIDE World Chess Championship continues to provide exciting matches as GM Ding Liren won game four on Thursday, leveling the score against GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. Ding exerted pressure from the opening, and just as the position appeared to be heading towards equality, Nepomniachtchi quickly played a blunder, allowing a pretty exchange sacrifice. After that, Ding’s solid technique brought home the full point.
Nepomniachtchi struggles to remember lines from 2021 World Championship preparation
During the live broadcast, FM Mike Klein made the ceremonial first move, with the on-brand 1.b3. Unsurprisingly, Ding took this move back and instead opted for the English Opening. Over the next few moves, Nepomniachtchi’s body language suggested he was trying to remember his lines, perhaps thinking all the way back to his 2021 World Championship preparation versus GM Magnus Carlsen.
With a hefty time advantage, Ding was able to have a major think before 13.Bd3 and still remain up on the clock. As is so often the case, the big think preceded a “miss,” according to the Chess.com game analysis feature, and Nepomniachtchi played the accurate response of 13…Bg4. But then it was time for Nepomniachtchi to misstep with 14…Na5.
Nepomniachtchi’s blunder leads to Ding’s exchange sacrifice
Nepomniachtchi’s 23…f6 allowed Ding to push 24.e6, with the drawback that this allowed Black’s knight to maneuver itself back into the game via the d6-square. Just as commentators started to discuss that White’s pressure was starting to dissipate and that a draw might be where the game was headed, Nepomniachtchi played the inaccurate 25…Nf5.
25…Nf5 allowed Ding to focus on Black’s f4-pawn, and just as everyone was expecting Nepomniachtchi to defend his pawn with 28…g5, he blundered with 28…Nd4. While game two had Nepomniachtchi with a winning exchange sacrifice, this time it was Ding’s turn for glory, and after one minute and 15 seconds, he captured the knight on d4.
Overall, Ding’s solid technique and pressure paid off as he won a crucial game to level the scores in the FIDE World Championship.
