Ding and Gukesh play out drawn Game 5 in World Chess Championship

The Game 5 of the World Chess Championship between Ding Liren of China and Gukesh D of India ended in a draw after 40 moves. Gukesh played a passive game, committing a mid-game mistake, but defending champion Ding Liren failed to capitalise on it.

It appeared that the fear of loss had taken over both players, evident from their choice of opening and less-aggressive moves. Except for one instance where Gukesh aggressively pushed his pawn to g4, exposing his castled king, the Indian teenage chess sensation remained on the back foot for most of the game.

Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh opened with e4, a move similar to the one he made in the first game, which he lost. Ding responded with his favourite French Defence, pushing a pawn to e6, a move that had helped him win the first game. Gukesh opted for the French Exchange Variation, where central pawns are exchanged, often leading to a draw. This variation has been played only twice at the world level, with the first instance being in 1927 between Jose Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine. Although Capablanca employed the Exchange Variation and lost the game, he ultimately won the world championship title.

Although Gukesh simplified the opening by exchanging central pawns, queens, and rooks, Ding Liren managed to develop a better pawn structure, with his knights and bishops more actively placed. However, Gukesh made a critical mistake on move 23, capturing Ding’s dark-coloured bishop with his pawn instead of his rook. According to computer analysis, this error gave Ding a distinct advantage. Nevertheless, Ding failed to capitalise on this opportunity, ultimately allowing the game to end in a draw.

Gukesh admitted to a crucial mistake in the game during the post-match media conference. “It was a blunder. I was annoyed. I didn’t play Re5, taking the bishop on that square with my rook instead of my pawn,” he said. However, Gukesh expressed confidence in his ability to recover from the mistake, adding, “I was confident I could pull it through.”

Compared to the previous games, this match was relatively dull, lacking the surprises and novelties that characterised the first four games. The players seemed more cautious, attempting to avoid playing into each other’s strengths. Gukesh’s decision to employ the French Exchange Variation, a known passive opening that often leads to a draw, suggested a more conservative approach.

Moving forward, Gukesh may need to find a solution to counter the French Defence or consider alternative opening moves, such as avoiding e4 with white.

Gukesh D was cautious when asked about his satisfaction with his games so far in the World Chess Championship. “It’s too early in the match to be satisfied. We’re not even at the halfway stage, which would be seven games out of 14 rounds,” he said.

When reminded that the French Exchange Variation he employed in Game 5 was only the second time it had been played at the world title level, Gukesh defended his choice. “The opening is good, and I played it only because I found it good.”

Defending champion Ding Liren expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the match. “The results are not ideal because I had some chances in some games to lead by some points, and it’s even. Also, today, after some quick checks, I had some advantages that I didn’t realize, so there’s something to improve.”

Ding said he had predicted Gukesh would open with the e4 King Pawn opening. “He picked a game variation that is very famous. That means he studied my games carefully, and I didn’t study his games too much.”

In the post-game press conference, Gukesh explained that he was relieved when Ding played 27...Bc6, thinking it would lead to a draw. “Towards the end of the game, I was very worried about my position after the manoeuvre 27...Be6 followed by 28...Rc8. I was quite relieved when my opponent played 27...Bc6, as I thought it would be a draw.”

Defending champion Ding Liren acknowledged that he had missed a significant opportunity. “I didn’t see the idea with 28...Rc8,” he said. “I was thinking of moving the king to the kingside, similar to a Berlin pawn structure. I didn’t realise it was a substantial advantage for me.”

The match remains tied at 2.5 points each.