World Chess Championship: Game three between Ding and Gukesh in analysis

As at the start, Gukesh also shone in the third World Cup game with excellent opening preparation. This time he unpacked an extremely rarely played move with 7.h3 in the rejected Queen’s Gambit Exchange Variation. Ding then spent a lot of time on the next moves and chose the courageous move 10…Bc2. Objectively speaking, it was a well-playable move, but Ding then had to constantly struggle with the fact that his far-advanced bishop could be caught at any time. After Ding’s inaccurate move 18…Rh5, the fear came true: the world champion first lost his bishop against two pawns and later the game for time and position. Before the first day of rest the score is now 1.5:1.5 points. It remains exciting.