The 2024 FIDE World Chess Championship between D Gukesh and Ding Liren is tantalisingly poised as it heads into its final stretch of games. With the match tied at 6-6 overall after Ding Liren's outstanding win in game 12, the prospect of tie-breakers looks ever more likely with two games to go.
Gukesh plays with white pieces today in game 13, while Ding takes to the board with black. It is perhaps Gukesh's last chance to push for a win and thus avoid the tie-breaker, although Ding's ability to strike back when trailing in a world championship is unmatched.
A draw would all but end Gukesh's hopes of avoiding tie-breakers, as he's not won a single game with black in the world championship so far. A loss with white today would all but end the 18-year-old's hopes of being crowned world champion, as Ding would then only need a draw with white in game 14.
After a game 12 that saw Ding Liren prove to the world why he became world champion in the first place, the momentum is with the Chinese player, although the rest day would have afforded Gukesh the chance to bounce back. Game 12 was a display of Ding's best chess, with five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen noting as much, saying "Ding did not have to calculate a single line in this whole game, he was able to play the game based on positional understanding - where he is very good."
However, Gukesh disagrees with the idea that his opponent has all the momentum, saying he's been better in the second half of the championship: "The second half I had chances in many of the games. Today [Game 12] was obviously a bad game, but I wouldn't draw too much from it - bad games happen. If you look at the second haf overall, I think we're both playing better than the first half. I think I have had more chances in the second half [of the championship]."
Gukesh does have the fact that he's caught out Ding on multiple occasions when playing with white with his openings, which ought to be a point in his favour today. However, Ding's ability to wrestle himself out of a hole is with black pieces remains impressive, although time trouble has played it's part in the two games he lost with black.
It's all set to be a blockbuster of a contest, as the stakes in the 2024 FIDE World Chess Championship have never been higher.
You can follow all the action from game 13, in our live blog, below: