Picture Credit: Twitter
Ding Liren on Sunday, April 30 became the new world champion after he beat Ian Nepomniachtchi in the final tie breaker of the World Chess Championship. Ding Liren has officially replaced Magnus Carles as the chess champion for the first time since 2013. After the round of classical games, the scoreline read 7-7 and both GMs were tied for the World Chess Championship. After that the Chinese GM emerged as the winner in the rapid tiebreaker round.
Ding Liren is now also the only person from China to be a champion in chess. Everyone at the table was emotional as Ian was left in shock while Ding burst into tears and couldn't believe it. The Russian grand champion, who was the favorite before the start of the tournament, has now lost a match of the World Cup twice in a row. The champion dedicated this historic win to his friends, his mother and his grandfather.
In 2016, Ding Liren was the highest rated blitz player, with a blitz rating of 2875. The 30-year-old chess genius will receive 1.1 million Euro as a cash prize. On being asked what he wishes to do after becoming chess champion, he replied “I may go travel if I have some spare time, I want to go to Turin to see a game of Juventus, my favorite club.”
The newly crowned chess champion is the highest-rated Chinese chess player in history and is also a three-time Chinese chess champion. He was the winner of the 2019 Grand Chess Tour, beating Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the finals and winning the 2019 Sinquefield Cup, as the first player since 2007 to beat Magnus Carlsen in a playoff.
