World Chess Championship: What was the opening played in Gukesh vs Ding Liren in Round 8?

Gukesh and Liren went into the eighth round tied on points, having won one game apiece in the finale so far.

Singapore: India’s D Gukesh and China’s Ding Liren exchange greetings during the seventh game of the World Chess Championship. | Photo Credit: Maria Emelianova

India’s D Gukesh and China’s Ding Liren played out an English Opening pattern in Round 8 of the World Chess Championship Final happening in Singapore on Wednesday. 

With Ding going Nc3 with his second move, the game diverged into English Opening: Reversed Sicilian, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack.

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As per Lichess, the English opening establishes control of the d5 square, while also allowing the bishop on c1 and the Queen on d1 into the game. By delaying the development of the other pieces, White retains flexibility and often this will transpose to other openings. For example, if d4 is played later in the game it becomes a Queen’s Gambit.

Opening moves

1. c4 e5

2. Nc3 Bb4

3. Nd5 Be7

4. Nf3 d6

5. g3 c6

6. Nxe7 Nxe7

7. Bg2 f6

This is a ploy quite a few notable chess players, including Mikhail Botvinnik, Bobby Fischer, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, and Magnus Carlsen.

Gukesh and Liren went into the eighth round tied on points, having won one game apiece in the finale so far.

Earlier in the final, playing with white, Gukesh had used French Defence twice and the Queen’s Gambit Declined once. In the last round Gukesh had opened up with a  Neo-Grünfeld Defense.