Featuring a landmark title sponsorship from global technology leader Google, the 2024 FIDE World Championship match will take place in Singapore from November 23 to December 13.
Current World Champion Ding Liren, representing China, and challenger Gukesh Dommaraju, from India, will face each other in a fourteen-game classical chess match. The player who scores 7.5 points or more will claim the title, picking up the better part of the $2.5 million total prize fund.
The champion
Photo: Anna Shtourman
Rated 2728, Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren is the reigning World Champion. At 32, he will defend his title for the first time, after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2023, in arguably one of the most exciting matches in history.
He is the highest-rated Chinese player of all time, with a peak rating of 2816 in 2018, and a three-time Chinese champion. Amongst his many unbelievable achievements is a 100-game unbeaten streak, one of the longest in history, which will forever remain in the memories of chess fans all over the world.
Notwithstanding, the 2023 World Championship match took its toll. Personal difficulties including depression led to a nine-month hiatus from competitive chess, during which he focused on his mental health. His return to the board at Tata Steel at the beginning of 2024 didn’t go as expected, while Norway Chess in June also turned into another unremarkable performance.
Recent events such as the 11th Sinquefield Cup and the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest don’t give the impression that Ding is fully recovered, but without a doubt if he is able to bring his best game to Singapore he will be a formidable opponent.
The challenger
Photo: Michal Walusza
18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju has taken the chess world by storm. Currently boasting a whopping 2783 FIDE rating, number five in the world, Gukesh qualified for this match by dominating the 2024 April Candidates tournament in Toronto; in his first-ever appearance he claimed first, becoming the youngest-ever challenger in the history of chess.
An under-12 World Youth Champion in Spain, multiple gold medalist in the Asian games, dominating many international tournaments all over the world, Gukesh has built an extraordinary career over the past six years.
His recent achievements also include an impressive gold medal on board one of the Indian team that brilliantly won the 45th Chess Olympiad, renewing an individual gold that he secured in his hometown, Chennai, two years before.
Nonetheless, it remains to be seen if Gukesh will be able to continue this seemingly untrue run of success, avoiding the inevitable spotlights and attention that he will experience.
The favourite
Most of the world’s top players consider Gukesh the clear favourite, but the opinion of former World Champion and number one player in the world Magnus Carlsen carries much weight: “Obviously, Gukesh is a significant favourite, and if he strikes first he will win the match without any trouble. However, the longer it goes without a decisive game, the better it is for Ding Liren, because he has the ability but he doesn’t have the confidence”.
In addition to Carlsen’s analysis, their head-to-head record may bolster up Ding Liren’s self-assurance. Due to the age gap, Gukesh and Ding Liren have only faced each other on three occasions in classical chess, with a total score of 2.5 to 0.5 for the Chinese Grandmaster, who defeated his opponent twice at the Tata Steel Masters in 2023 and 2024.
Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club | Lennart Ootes
All in all, the endless appeal of competitive sport is the uncertainty of the result.
The match
The match is scheduled for 14 classical games. The winner will be the first to score 7.5 points or more. Each game will feature a time control of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment kicking in on move 41.
If the match ends in a tie after 14 games, a rapid-play tie-break will determine the champion.
The official website with all the results, stats, games, and other useful information can be found here: worldchampionship.fide.com/
You can also follow the action with live commentaries by England’s David Howell and Jovanka Houska on FIDE YouTube channel.
The venue
The match will take place in Singapore, a city-state and island country in Southeast Asia. For many years it has been a major aviation, financial, and maritime shipping hub and features one of the highest GDP per capita in the world.
The Singapore Chess Federation has played a decisive role in the organization and promotion of the event, securing the luxurious Resorts World Sentosa as an outstanding venue for this exciting encounter. The playing hall is located in the magnificent Equarius Hotel, a 5-star facility with stunning views of the surrounding rainforest canopies.
Game-day access tickets can be purchased here: worldchampionship.fide.com/tickets.php
The side-events
The match in Singapore will also host an unforgettable chess festival. Exhibitions, presentations, and simultaneous matches will offer unique opportunities to meet and play with top Grandmasters and experts in other fields.
A dedicated fan zone has been designated, in which visitors can enjoy in-person commentary by renowned world-class commentators such as GM Maurice Ashley and former Women’s World Champion Xie Jun.
Other highlights include interactions with 5-times World Champion Viswanathan Anand and simultaneous exhibitions by former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk and former World Champion Challenger Boris Gelfand.
And if you feel like playing yourself, the Singapore International Open 2024, will be held alongside the World Championship – a once in a lifetime opportunity to take part in the most important chess event of the year.
The full programme can be found here: worldchampionship.fide.com/Side-events.php
Written by IM Michael Rahal (Barcelona, Spain)
