Chess: India's Gukesh levels score with white win over Ding

India's 18-year-old rising star Gukesh D beat world champion Ding Liren with the white pieces in game 3 of the World Chess Championship in Singapore on Wednesday, leveling the scores again after his surprise defeat in the opening game of the match. 

The two players had drawn in the second game, so now stand on 1.5 points each after three games heading into the first rest day of the match on Thursday.

"It feels great. The last two days I was happy with my play," Gukesh said in the press conference after the relatively quick win in 37 moves. "My play today was even better, I feel good at the board and today I just managed to outplay my opponent which is always nice." 

Ding resigns in worse position under time pressure

Wednesday's game ended with the resignation of the reigning champion from China, who offered a handshake facing an inferior position with just a few seconds left on his clock. 

Observers had noticed the time trouble and the likelihood that Ding would not be able to reach move 40 — when both players receive a meaningful extra chunk of time for the late stages of the game — while maintaining a holdable position. 

Gukesh also spent a large portion of his remaining time thinking in the latter phases of the game, but said afterwards that this was a reflection of his confidence in the position as he sought a killer blow. 

"I was pretty confident at that point. I was just thinking about the position at that time, because I knew I should be winning," the Chennai native said. "I wasn't playing for time. I just like to finish it off clean." 

Gukesh was piling on the pressure as the players tried to reach move 40 and secure extra time, with Ding ultimately throwing in the towelImage: Then Chih Wey/Xinhua/dpa/picture alliance

Champion's early shock lead neutralized

Gukesh, the youngest world championship challenger in history, fell behind in game 1 — bucking many people's expectations given Ding's severe struggles for form and long pause from playing since becoming world champion. 

"I think it's also understandable since it was my first game at the World Championship," he said. "I was a bit nervous. It's a new setting for me. For example, even Magnus [Carlsen]. In his first WC he wasn't at his best at the start. I think it's a very normal reaction and I was ok with that." 

The youngster, one of a series of rising stars from India, had never beaten Ding in a long-format game prior to Wednesday's win. 

Two of the first three games have ended up with a winner, which is extremely unusual at the draw-laden top level of chessImage: Seshadri Sukumar/Zuma/picture alliance

What happens next? 

After three consecutive days' play, the contenders have a rest day on Thursday. 

The world championship involves 14 "classical" long time-control matches in all. If any player reaches 7.5 points out of 14, they win and the match is over. 

Should the match end in a 7-7 tie after the 14th and final game on December 12, it would then be decided by a series of shorter-format tie-breakers. 

msh/kb (AFP, dpa, Reuters)