S1 E21 World Championship Challenger - Ding Liren

Blindfold Chess Podcast

With the World Chess Championship currently underway, today we are looking at the second Challenger - Ding Liren.
The highest rated Chinese player in history, the #2 player in the world for over a year and having the longest
undefeated streak in top-level classical chess history from August 2017-November 2018, ... until Magnus beat that streak in 2019,
Ding Liren's chess career is just as decorated as Nepo's.
Growing up in the Zhejiang (je-jang) province of China, his mother took him to a chess club when he was 4 years old.
Shortly thereafter, he started using the same chess coach that former Women's World Champion Zhu Chen used, Chen Lixing.
In 2003 and 2004, he tied for first in the Under 10 and Under 12 World Youth Championships.
Grinding during his teenage years, he had a breakout event in 2009 at the Chinese Chess Championships.
In a field of 12, including 10 Grandmasters (he was not one), he finished in first with an 8.5 out of 11,
winning by half a point and at the age of 16, the youngest to win and notching his final GM norm.
He won the Chinese Chess Championship again in 2011 and 2012.
(so for those keeping track - that's 3 national championships by age 19, going undefeated in all 3 events)
In 2015, he finished in a 4 way tie for 2nd at Tata Steel (behind Carlsen). In 2016, a 2 way tie for 2nd (again, behind Carlsen).
He became the first player to reach the Chess World Cup finals twice in a row in 2017 and 2019.
The World Cup is a single elimination knockout style tournament where
the winner and runner up are automatically entered into the Candidates Tournament.
He was also the first Chinese player to play in the Candidates tournament.
During this period is when he went on his 100 game unbeaten streak.
For the 2022 Candidates tournament, he qualified by having the highest average chess rating with a 2806.
Which makes sense since he has been the world #2 behind Magnus.
At that tournament, he finished 2nd and with Carlsen not defending his title, Ding Liren is now a challenger for the World Championship.
In today's game, we are going back to 2020 where Ding Liren showcases he has what it takes to defeat a World Champion.
Magnus Carlsen v. Ding Liren - Magnus Carlsen Invitational.
Now, if we're ready...
Let's begin.
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e5 Nh5 5. Qe2 Be7 6. d4 O-O
7. Nc3 d6 8. Bd2 Bg4 9. O-O-O Nd7 10. Qe1 c6 11. Be2 Re8
12. g3 dxe5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. dxe5 f3 15. Bd3 Qd4 16. Qe4 Qxe4
17. Nxe4 f2 18. Rdf1 Bf3 19. g4 Bh4 20. gxh5 Rxe5 21. Ng3 Rae8
22. Bc3 Bg5+ 23. Kb1 Bxh1 0-1
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1994576
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ding_Liren
http://cassidynoble.com/