Gukesh vs Ding Liren Game 4 HIGHLIGHTS, World Chess Championship: Gukesh forces a draw with Black; series level 2-2

That was all from the game four. The World Chess Championship will remain level, this time at 2-2. We will be back with the fifth game on Saturday. Until then, it’s goodbye!

1. Nf3 d5 

2. e3N f6 

3. b3 Bf5 

4. Be2 h6 

5. Ba3 Nbd7 

6. O-O e6 

7. Bxf8 Nxf8 

8. c4 N8d7 

9. Nc3 O-O 

10. cxd5 exd5 

11. b4 c6 

12. Nd4 Bh7 

13. Qb3 Ne5 

14. a4 Rc8 

15. a5 b6 

16. Nf3 Nxf3+ 

17. Bxf3 d4 

18. Ne2 dxe3 

19. dxe3 Be4 

20. Rfd1 Qe7 

21. Bxe4 Nxe4 

22. axb6 axb6 

23. Nc3 Rfd8 

24. Nxe4 Qxe4 

25. h3 c5 

26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 

27. bxc5 bxc5 

28. Rc1 Qe5 

29. Qc2 Rd5 

30. g3 f5 

31. Kg2 Kh7 

32. Qc4 Qd6 

33. e4 Re5 

34. exf5 Rxf5 

35. Qe4 Qd5 

36. Qxd5 Rxd5 

37. Kf3 Kg6 

38. Ke4 Rd4+ 

39. Ke3 Rd5 

40. Ke4 Rd4+ 

41. Ke3 Rd5 

42. Ke4Rd4+

And we have a repetition of moves from the two players which seals the fate of this contest. 42 moves each before the two share half-a-point each.

A big development on the board as Gukesh happily lets the Black Queen get traded for its White counterpart.

36. Qxd5 Rxd5

Ding Liren continues to shore up his defence in the back ranks after Gukesh’s move of f5.

The Indian has used up nearly 13 minutes for the move now. He would probably want to get to a really safe position and leave no room for last-minute hijacks from White.

Ding Liren goes for Qc2, doubling it up with the Rook on the c file and focusing on the attack on the Black pawn on c5. Can he force something out this position?

11 moves left to reach first 40 and the players have more than 30 minutes on the clock.

Both players are off their chairs at the moment as the result becomes a mere formality now.

Liren moves Rxd8+ and Gukesh follows with Rxd8.

This is followed by a pawn trade on the c file. Gukesh taking off the material with abundant glee. 

Gukesh succeeds in further depleting the pieces on the board to attack.

23. Nc3 Rfd8

24. Nxe4 Qxe4

25. h3 c5

Ding and Gukesh exchange the pawns on the b file. Ding Liren now controls the open a file with a Rook. 

22. axb6 axb6

Ding Liren first moves his Rook to the d file, targeting the Black Queen but a simple Qe7 avoids that. Following this Ding Liren opts to exchange the Bishops. 

Gukesh plays Be4. A chance for Ding Liren to accept the exchange. But this only pushes the game closer to a draw, an outcome Gukesh will accept happily.

17. Bxf3 d4

18. Ne2 dxe3

19. dxe3

Nxf3 from Gukesh followed by Bxf3 almost instantly from Ding Liren and the two Knights are off the board. 

Back to Gukesh now to make the next move. He has more than 56 minutes.

Ding Liren has made his next move, putting his Knight on the f3 square and looking for a material exchange.

15. a5 b6

These are the moves from the two players. As mentioned earlier,Ding Liren seems intent on attack through the first three files. And Gukesh finally indulging and offering a trade. We wait to see if Liren accepts it?

There is also a slightly more adventurous move in Ba6 but that could see White ending up trapping its Bishop.

Rc8 is the answer from Gukesh. It was the move that was suggested by the engine and the Indian challenger is able to find it.

Here is how the board looks after the last move from Ding Liren:

He spent 13 minutes on this move before deciding go for a4. The Ne4 move caught him by surprise but he continues with his strategy to attack through the a,b and c files. He is left with 1 hour and 6 minutes now. 

Here are the moves so far:

1. Nf3 d5

2. e3 Nf6

3. b3 Bf5

4. Be2 h6

5. Ba3 Nbd7

6. O-O e6

7. Bxf8 Nxf8

8. c4 N8d7

9. Nc3 O-O

10. cxd5 exd5

11. b4 c6

12. Nd4 Bh7

13. Qb3 Ne5

Another surprising move on the board. Gukesh goes on a completely different tangent, throwing his other Knight into the mix at e5.

This could prompt Ding Liren to attack with f4. 

He has spent 15 minutes now on the current move, thinking of a reply to Qb3. His time left is now lower than his opponent’s.

The engine suggesting three moves: Ne4, Re8, a5.

The White queen is finally off its starting square. Qb3 from the reigning champion which strengthens the pawn on b4. We could see it moved ahead in the coming moves.

As was expected, Gukesh goes ahead to protect his Bishop with Bh7.

The engine suggesting Qb3 as the strongest move, bolstering the b4 pawn for White.

He instead moves his Knight from the f file. Nd4 is the move. This attacks the Black bishop, but Bg6 or g6 from Black can neutralise this.

A quick set of moves from both the players. 

10. cxd5 exd5

11. b4 c6

17 minutes and a few seconds spent on the move and Ding Liren gets the other Knight off its starting square.

Gukesh goes with an expected move, castling on the short side.

More than 15 minutes of Liren’s time expended on the ninth move.

Credits: Chess.com

For the first time, Ding has taken a lengthy period of time to make a move. He has spent five minutes already on this ninth move. 

Gukesh, on the last move, took his Knight back to d7.

The players exchange their dark-squared bishops. Gukesh would love that since Ding’s bishop on that a3 square looked kind of threatening. 

7. Bxf8 Nxf8

Ding Liren goes for a castle on the King side.

1. Nf3 d5

2. e3 Nf6

3. b3 Bf5

4. Be2h6

5. Ba3 Nbd7

The Indian takes over 7 minutes for his fifth move. He goes for Nbd7.

Gukesh moves his pawn on the d file, opting for d5.

The Chinese goes ahead with an unorthodox move with Knight to f3.

The round 4 between D. Gukesh and Ding Liren will get underway at 2:30 PM IST.

The World Chess Championship match will consist of 14 classical games. Each game will adhere to a time control of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting from move 41.

The World Chess Championship match between D. Gukesh and Ding Liren will consist of 14 games. The first player to score 7.5 points will be crowned the World Champion. If the match ends in a tie after all 14 games, a tiebreak will be held the following day to determine the winner.

Game 1 - November 25, 2024 - Ding Liren beat Gukesh

Game 2 - November 26, 2024 - Round ended in a draw

Game 3 - November 27, 2024 - Gukesh beat Ding Liren

Rest Day - November 28, 2024 - Thursday 

Game 4 - November 29, 2024 - Friday 

Game 5 - November 30, 2024 - Saturday 

Game 6 - December 1, 2024 - Sunday 

Rest Day - December 2, 2024 - Monday 

Game 7 - December 3, 2024 - Tuesday 

Game 8 - December 4, 2024 - Wednesday 

Game 9 - December 5, 2024 - Thursday 

Rest Day - December 6, 2024 - Friday 

Game 10 - December 7, 2024 - Saturday 

Game 11 - December 8, 2024 - Sunday 

Game 12 - December 9, 2024 - Monday 

Rest Day - December 10, 2024 - Tuesday 

Game 13 - December 11, 2024 - Wednesday 

Game 14 - December 12, 2024 - Thursday 

Tie-breaks (If needed) - December 13, 2024 - Wednesday

Where to watch the D. Gukesh vs Ding Liren World Chess Championship 2024 matches?

The World Chess Championship 2024 match between Gukesh and Ding will be streamed on FIDE social media handles (YouTube, Twitch), Chess.com social media handles (YouTube, Twitch) etc. 

You can follow all the live action, commentary, moves and live chess board widgets on Sportstar’s daily match blog.

Three games in and there’s nothing to separate the two contenders. Ding Liren drew first blood with a win in the opening round and then held to a draw in the second. 

But Gukesh fought back to square the series at 1.5 point apiece with his victory in the third round on Wednesday.

Will there be a clear leader today? Or will we see Gukesh and Liren share the spoils?