CHENNAI: Reigning world champion Ding Liren has again admitted that he sees D Gukesh as the clear favourite heading into their title clash in Singapore later this month.
Liren, whose form plateaued after he won the title last year, is worried that he may lose 'very badly'.Speaking to Kaja Snare, a prominent chess broadcaster on YouTube, the 32-year-old said: "I am worried about losing very badly. Hopefully it won't happen," he said. "Maybe I am not so eager to play. I don't have the same ambitions to win the game," he elaborated when he was asked why he felt that way.
While Gukesh has enjoyed a great year, Liren hasn't. In a previous interview, he had spoken about sleepless nights. In an interview to this daily ahead of the Norway Chess in May, he had said: "My sleep has not been so good, not in the best shape, that's why I try not to play so many tournaments."
The event in Norway wasn't a good experience for Liren. He didn't pick up a single win. Worryingly, it's been a broad theme in his play since the start of the year. "My game has many mistakes," he told Snare. "They are in all parts of the game. I sometimes manage to create chances and get winning positions, but I can't convert them. It's the same problem every time. I will be the underdog approaching this match. I hope I can become a totally different player and at least give him a fight to slow down his pace."
Even if there has been a suggestion in some corners that Ding is trying to throw Gukesh off with mind games such as these, the results cannot lie, they haven't lied for a long time. He's currently on a 28-game winless run and his rating has plummeted to below 2730. Sometime during the interview, published on the TakeTakeTake channel, Liren is hopeful that he puts up a fight to repay the people who have continued to support him during this phase. "Although I play so badly, there are still many who love and support me. Maybe I will need to show that I deserve this kind of support... If I continue to play so badly without any fighting spirit, I may not deserve it."
He has been feeling this way ever since he beat Ian Nepomniachtchi for the crown in 2023. It has led to multiple players commenting on the upcoming match between the Indian challenger, who won multiple gold at the Olympiad in Hungary a few months ago, and the champion.
Before the second edition of the Global Chess League in October, Viswanathan Anand, while speaking to this daily, had said: "I think Ding can be slightly happy with his recovery but honestly, he’s a better player than his recent form. So I would expect that Gukesh is still very careful. He’s playing a very experienced and wise player and you never know when they are going to kick up a notch. I mean on the face of it, Gukesh’s form has been more stable... his form has been better but anything can change now."
With less than three weeks to go for the biggest game in the world of professional chess, the biggest game has one prohibitive favourite. Will the Chinese be able to fight?
Erigaisi World No 2
ARJUN Erigaisi just can't stop winning or making history at the moment. On Thursday, the 21-year-old continued his hot streak and beat Alexey Sarana to become the World No. 2. With black pieces, Erigaisi prevailed in a wild game after 37-moves. Both players were level after an equal opening but after a couple of mistakes by the Indian, Sarana, who had won the European individuals last year, had the ascendancy. But he had squandered that opportunity with a blunder in the 31st move. Six moves later, it was all over.