Ding Liren heads into the third rest day of his World Chess Championship match in Singapore with a psychological advantage.
In the 12th game, the Chinese Grandmaster defeated India's Gukesh Dommaraju, leveling the overall score to 6-6, Idman.biz reports.
The reigning champion, who had fallen behind for the first time in the match, managed to equalize the score, but in his previous encounter with Ian Nepomniachtchi, he had been able to draw level three times. What is his secret? Ding shared his thoughts at a press conference:
1. Understanding What Went Wrong: After the 11th game, it would have been easy for Ding to succumb to despair, but he took an objective look at the situation: "Yesterday was a difficult game to deal with, but I tried to continue with my normal routine and be refreshed for this important game."
2. Getting a Good Night's Sleep: While many chess players struggle to sleep after a defeat, Ding is not one of them. He explained, "I slept well last night, fell asleep quickly, and woke up feeling energized."
3. Changing Something (or Everything): Inspired by Nepomniachtchi’s change in the previous match, Ding decided to make a small change to his hairstyle.
4. Drinking Coffee: While many people regularly drink coffee, Ding wasn’t accustomed to it… until now! "Today I had a cup of coffee before the game, which helped me feel much more energetic, and also, I had some snacks to maintain my energy levels for the critical moment. I think I played a very good game and found some good moves.”
5. Support from Friends and Family: Ding credits his second and mother for their support. "Rapport sent me a file with the name 'Strike Back!' and it happened! My mum gave me confidence, she said I did it last time, I can do it again!"
6. Lucky Numbers: Ding has had success in the 12th round of his last five tournaments. He won in the 12th round at Wijk aan Zee in 2024, in the match held in Astana, and at the Candidates Tournament in Yekaterinburg. However, in 2023, he lost in Madrid and Wijk aan Zee in the Candidates Tournament.
Idman.biz
