World chess c’ship: Gukesh escapes with draw in Game 5

Bengaluru: There are certain days when as a chess fan you miss what Magnus Carlsen brought to a World Championship. Game 5 of the World Championship match between reigning champion Ding Liren and Indian challenger D Gukesh on Saturday was one such.
Incidentally, it was the birthday of the Norwegian world No.1 and five-time world champion, who walked away from the World Championship two years ago. With the Black pieces, Ding had an advantageous position with almost no risk but was content to agree to a quick draw after 40 moves.
Carlsen, in Ding’s position, would have grinded it out until his opponent pleaded for dear life. It’s what a battle for chess’ ultimate prize is supposed to be – ruthless, sparing no moves and a fight to the death. Gukesh was only relieved with the draw and took half a point for it. The match stays tied at 2.5-2.5 points with nine classical games remaining.
In the press conference that followed, Ding, to some surprise, revealed that he did not realise that he had an advantage. “I just tried to play my best, but somehow settled for a draw.”
With the White pieces, Gukesh returned to the king pawn opening (1.e4) and Ding repeated the French Defense, from Game 1, which he had won. Then came the surprise – Gukesh went for the Exchange French variation, which carries the reputation of being drawish. Stylistically, it seemed a departure from what the Indian has been doing in this match so far with White – sharp, ambitious play. Gukesh’s own response to it was that it’s “just a good opening which is quite topical these days…I guess I did not pose too many problems to him this time.” The Exchange French, it appears, was only played for the second time in a World Championship match. The only other instance was during the 1927 match between Jose Raul Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine.
In Game 5, after the pawn captures in the centre right at the outset, the Queens came off the board as early as move 9. Gukesh went for the risky 17.g4 pawn push, which allowed Black’s knight a pretty outpost on the f4 square. On move 23, Gukesh made the awful mistake of capturing Black’s bishop on e5 with his pawn rather than his rook. Ding wasted no time in galloping his knight to the g3 square in response – and White’s rook on e1 and pawn on b2 were immediately in the line of fire. Black was clearly better right away, with no risks, and Ding was suddenly playing for two results – a draw or a win. Gukesh sat there, a troubled look on his face, wondering how things had turned out the way they did.
“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,” Gukesh said.
Ding admitted he missed the 28…Rc8 idea, which could have made Black’s path to a draw a struggle. “I was thinking of moving the king to the kingside, like some kind of Berlin pawn structure. I didn’t realise that it was a big advantage for me,” said the reigning world champion.
In the end, the rooks were traded off, opposite-coloured bishops were left on the board, white was a pawn up, and a draw was imminent. It’s for the first time in the match that Gukesh’s game with the White pieces ended in a draw. Ding will have the White pieces for Game 6 on Sunday, ahead of the rest day.
In last year’s match against Ian Nepomniachtchi, Ding had won Game 6 to level the match, and in 2021, Game 6 between Magnus Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi turned out to be the longest in World Championship history, lasting 136 moves.
Ding is not too pleased with the even scores in the match, given the opportunities he has had. “The results are not ideal because I had some chances in some games to lead by some points,” he said later. “Today, I had an advantage which I didn’t realise. So, there is something to improve (for the rounds ahead).”