World championship

The forthcoming world championship match, which begins in Astana on 9 April, was described by Garry Kasparov as an ‘amputated event’. The abdication of Magnus Carlsen, who remains the world’s strongest player, is of course a disappointment. But the 14 game match between the world number 2 and 3, respectively Ian Nepomniachtchi from Russian and Ding Liren from China, remains a gripping prospect.

Nepomniachtchi is the more aggressive and ambitious player, but his results are more volatile. In an interview in January, Carlsen stated that he considers Ding Liren to be ‘a little bit better’. In my view, Ding stands out for his capacity to endure tension for longer than his opponents, a quality which manifests in subtle ways. Suppose there are two captures available, but neither is outright good or bad, and a third option besides, most promising but also most complex. Less skilled players will consistently be tempted by one or the other capture, to reduce their cognitive burden. Ding can choose option 3 again and again, leaving the opponent to make the first concession.

But Ding is a newcomer to the visceral tension of playing for the game’s highest title. Extended matchplay weathers the psyche more than tournament play, and it is hard to imagine such a modest, shy character will relish the frenzy of media attention and clumsy questions in post-game press conferences. Nepomniachtchi may have lost his match against Carlsen in Dubai, 2021, but he at least has been through the experience, and appeared stronger than ever at the 2022 Candidates tournament in Madrid.

‘Nepo’ will start in Astana with the memory of winning their most recent decisive encounter. In Madrid he got off to a strong start, beating Ding in breezy style in the first round – see below.