D Gukesh took an important lead in the 2024 FIDE World Chess Championship by defeating Ding Liren in Game 11. Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh won in just 29 moves. This win puts him ahead 6-5 in the championship. Now, he only needs to draw the remaining three games to become the youngest world chess champion ever.
Gukesh started the game with a Reti opening but surprised Ding on his fourth move by playing e3. This move puzzled the world champion, who spent over 38 minutes deciding his response. Gukesh followed this with a completely new move, a3, on his fifth turn. This had never been played before in top-level chess, and Ding took another 22 minutes to make his fifth move. By this point, Ding had already used up an hour, while Gukesh had spent only 32 seconds.
The game took a dramatic turn on move 11 when Gukesh spent 60 minutes and 17 seconds deciding his move, the longest he has ever taken in this championship. Both players started feeling the pressure as the game went on. Around move 21, Ding made some small errors, while Gukesh played solidly and gained an advantage. However, Gukesh missed a chance to press his lead, allowing Ding to equalize by castling.
The turning point came when Ding made two big mistakes on moves 26 and 28. His blunder on move 28, when he moved his queen to c8, sealed his fate. Gukesh captured Ding’s knight at c6, leaving Ding in a losing position. Realizing this, Ding shook hands with Gukesh and resigned. The crowd erupted with chants of “Gukesh! Gukesh!” as the Indian prodigy celebrated his victory.
Ding was clearly upset and left the press conference early, admitting, “I wasted 40 minutes calculating nonsense.”
Gukesh also reflected on the game, saying, “I spent too much time on a bad plan and thought I was in trouble. Later, I realized I had a winning position. It felt like a blitz game!”
He thanked his team for their preparation, adding, “This win is very important. The last seven games were all draws. This one could’ve gone either way, but it worked out for me.”
Finally, Gukesh appreciated the fans, saying, “Indian fans are the best. Their support gives me extra energy.”