World Chess Championship 2024: Gukesh loses to reigning champion Ding Liren in first round

India’s D. Gukesh lost to reigning champion China’s Ding Liren in the first round of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 at the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore on Monday.

China’s chess grandmaster Ding Liren (R) and India’s chess grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju (L) compete during the start of the FIDE World Chess Championship. | Photo Credit: AFP

India’s D. Gukesh lost to reigning champion China’s Ding Liren in the first round of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 at the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore on Monday.

Gukesh, who had White in this round squandered time advantage to eventually lose the first round.

The youngster World Championship challenger, Gukesh will have the dark pieces in the second round tomorrow.

AS IT HAPPENED | GUKESH VS DING WORLD CHESS-CHAMPIONSHIP 2024, GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

This is Ding’s first classical win in 304 days after winning the last game at the Tata Steel Masters against Dutch GM Max Warmerdam in Wijk aan Zee on January 27, earlier this year. 

Gukesh admitted his tactical oversight during the game. He said, “It was a tactical oversight by me. It can happen; it’s a long match. About my opponent’s form, I expected nothing else. I expected the best version of him, and we have a long match ahead, so it’s only more exciting now.”