Ding Liren narrowly escaped defeat in Game 7 against Gukesh, salvaging a hard-fought draw. After the game, both players agreed that Gukesh had dominated much of the match, with Ding conceding that he was fortunate to avoid a loss.
The game, which lasted a grueling 5 hours and 20 minutes, is now the longest in the match so far.
Playing with the black pieces, Gukesh held a significant advantage in both the middle and endgame, dominating the clock and the board. Ding, scrambling against the clock once again, narrowly avoided losing on time, a fate he suffered in Game 3 against the same opponent. The Chinese world champion made it past time control with just seven seconds to spare, but Gukesh remained the overwhelming favourite throughout the decisive phases of the game.
Ding’s time management has been a recurring theme in the championship. At one point, he faced the daunting challenge of completing 15 moves in just 16 minutes. His decision to spend 28 minutes on his seventh move cost him crucial time, although he managed to gain an extra pawn briefly after eight moves, a material advantage that proved fleeting.
The championship remains tightly contested, with both players tied at 3.5 point each heading into Game 8. While Ding won Game 1, Gukesh struck back in Game 3, becoming the first player to defeat a reigning champion on time at this level. The last three four have ended in draws.
Gukesh, hailing from Chennai, is bidding to become the youngest world chess champion in history. His fearless approach to the game has drawn attention, with commentators praising his bold decision-making, even in adverse positions. However, the match has also faced criticism from elite grandmasters. Former world champions Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir Kramnik have expressed disappointment with the level of play, with Carlsen remarking that Gukesh’s performance has “generally not impressed” him so far. World No. 3 Hikaru Nakamura also weighed in, expressing confusion over Ding’s strategies in the opening games.
Game 8 of the FIDE World Chess Championship is scheduled to begin on Wednesday in Singapore.
