By David Llada

Whoever scripted the last World Championship match in Astana 2023 seems to have renewed their contract for a second season. We couldn't have asked for a more thrilling start to this event: a superb victory with the Black pieces by the player many assumed would be slaughtered - the 'vulnerable' Ding Liren. It feels as though the Chinese Grandmaster just played his truly first game as World Champion, not only winning but also leaving everyone in awe of the quality of his play.

'Hva sa jeg!' That's Norwegian for 'I told you,' and it's probably what Magnus Carlsen is exclaiming right now. While everyone else had written Ding off, the World #1 correctly predicted that Ding would find his chances in the opening games. What a terrific tipster Magnus is!

The first game, which began with Nobel Prize winner Demis Hassabis making the ceremonial first move, was a thriller from the outset. Ding responded to 1.e4 with the French Defense—a rare guest at World Championship matches. Though not a common choice, Ding had already used it in his previous match against Nepomniachtchi, so Gukesh had obviously prepared for it. In fact, the Indian came up with athe first real surprise, the very rare 6.Nce2, and played relatively quickly all the way until move 10.

This is the position where the game began to turn into a thriller. Ding spent almost an hour contemplating the maneuver a5-a4-Qa5. It was undoubtedly a critical moment and the turning point in choosing a battle plan. Yet, the World Champion appeared nervous and fidgety, with time pressure mounting. Fans and media alike began to fear yet another collapse by the Chinese Grandmaster. Meanwhile, Gukesh, exuding confidence but showing hints of impatience, strolled around the glass booth.

'I think the position was full of possibilities, and I needed to figure out my idea: play castle, or play h5, or, like in the game, I found the right way, I think. It turns out the time flows very quickly – at some point, I was down by one hour,' Ding explained during the press conference.

It seems that Gukesh, and perhaps everyone else except Ding, underestimated the powerful cavalry maneuver starting with the Knight's jump from d7 to b6, then to c4, and finally landing on b2. It was a strategic masterpiece. All of a sudden, White’s queenside began to collapse. The Black King felt secure in the center, and White had no threats on the kingside—quite the opposite. The break h5 was just one of the many options at Ding’s disposal.

After 17.Qe2, Gukesh realized he was in trouble. The nervousness, the sweating, and the time pressure - everything shifted to his side. So much so, that the Challenger was left with just one second on the clock to make his final move before time control - to the dismay of the many Indian fans present at the venue, who literally screamed when their hero managed to save this "match-ball".

However, that relief was short-lived. Gukesh's position was completely lost, and Ding avoided all potential tricks in the position. The World Champion worked hard at the board (he didn't stand up even once during the game!) and secured a crucial victory - with a performance worthy of his title.

Fun fact: This marks the first time Ding Liren has ever led on the scoreboard in a World Championship match. According to Miguel Illescas, the experienced Grandmaster who has been part of several historic matches, Gukesh's key mistake was not opting for something more solid - following the old-school advice for debutants to stabilize and overcome stage fright.

This was only game one, yet the narrative is already wildly different from what anyone expected. As I mentioned in the preview, predictions tend to be the first casualties in major sporting finals.

Agadmator's Game 1 video recap