World Chess Championship: Ex-champs slam “mistake after mistake” in Ding Liren-Gukesh clash

The FIDE World Chess Championship between Ding Liren and D Gukesh has delivered mixed reactions. Ding won Game 1, but Gukesh equalized in Game 3. Heading into Game 7, both players are tied with three points each, after three consecutive draws.

However, former world champions Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir Kramnik have expressed disappointment with the level of play. Kramnik criticized the players for excessive calculation, calling it a “weak” display. He felt both players made multiple strategic errors, lacking the human touch that chess should embody. “If I want to watch a game of calculations, I’d watch a chess engine championship,” Kramnik remarked on his YouTube channel.

He specifically pointed out how Gukesh could have capitalized on an endgame opportunity, while Ding also made avoidable mistakes. Kramnik labeled the overall quality of Game 6 as disappointing, remarking on “too many obvious and conceptual mistakes” that hindered the match.

Magnus Carlsen, too, weighed in, providing daily analysis on his app. He noted that Gukesh, despite being 18, has underperformed in the championship. “Ding has probably exceeded expectations, but Gukesh has been disappointing,” Carlsen said after Game 5. He echoed Kramnik’s view, suggesting Gukesh missed a winning opportunity with his king in Game 6, which could have shifted the momentum.

As the championship progresses, both former champions have set a high bar for the quality of play, expressing frustration with what they view as subpar performances from the current title contenders.