Russian Chess Federation President Andrei Filatov has accused China’s Ding Liren of deliberately losing the final game of the World Chess Championship to India’s D Gukesh. The decisive match was played in Singapore, where Gukesh became the youngest-ever world champion at 18. Ukrainian chess coach Peter Heine Nielsen highlighted a report from a Russian news agency quoting Filatov, who urged FIDE to investigate the matter.
“The result of the last game caused bewilderment among professionals and chess fans,” Filatov stated. “The actions of the Chinese chess player in the decisive segment are extremely suspicious and require a separate investigation by FIDE. Losing the position in which Ding Liren was in is difficult even for a first-class player. The defeat of the Chinese chess player in today’s game raises a lot of questions and looks like a deliberate one.”
The controversy stems from the 14th and final game of the championship, which was poised for a draw. Under intense time pressure, Ding made a crucial misstep in a tense endgame. His attempt to mobilize his king and rooks for a draw backfired, leading to a simplification of the position that favored Gukesh. With more active pieces and a superior pawn structure, Gukesh secured victory.
Kramnik Critiques the Championship’s Quality
Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik joined the criticism, expressing disappointment over the quality of play. He described Ding’s blunder as “childish” and lamented the standard of the match.
In his reaction on social media, Kramnik stated, “No comment. Sad. End of chess as we know it.” He further added, “Never yet has a WC title been decided by such a childish one-move blunder.”
Kramnik also criticized earlier games in the championship, notably Game 6, calling it “weak.” He remarked, “Frankly, I am very disappointed by today’s game (Game 6). Even Game 5 was not extremely high level, but today it was really — for a professional — it was really weak play from both players. It’s a very disappointing level.”
Gukesh’s Historic Achievement
Despite the criticisms, Gukesh’s win marks a historic moment for Indian chess, solidifying his place as the youngest world champion and bringing new attention to the sport in India. While the debate over the championship’s quality continues, Gukesh’s achievement stands as a milestone in his young career.