World Championship Game 1: Ding's daunting defense against Nepomniachtchi
10/04/2023 - The first game of the FIDE World Championship 2023 between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren was an interesting encounter. It certainly seemed like the match will have an unusual start in terms of result. The world no.3 was in quite a bit of a pickle but he lived up to what he is known for - incredible defensive skill. The Chinese might not have played a lot of tournaments or rated games since the travel restrictions were imposed in 2020 due to the pandemic, one thing which should not be forgotten is his 100-game unbeaten streak. In the post-game press conference, we all got to know that Richard Rapport's creative side and the fondness of '80s music are one of the many reasons, why the new Romania no.1 is his second. Game 2 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 2:30 p.m. IST. Photo: FIDE/Stev Bonhage