World chess champion Ding Liren opens up on mental struggles ahead of title defence in S’pore
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
World chess champion Ding Liren says that he is not at his lowest anymore and will try his best at the World Championship in Singapore.
PHOTO: CHESSCLUB.COM
Follow topic:
SINGAPORE – There has been much chatter in the chess fraternity about reigning champion Ding Liren’s recent form and mental state ahead of his blockbuster clash against India’s Gukesh Dommaraju for the World Chess Championship in Singapore from Nov 25 to Dec 13.
Ding’s peers, such as Norway’s world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, and netizens have said that Ding is “not the same player” any more. It was also reported that the Chinese grandmaster has been struggling with mental health issues.
Asked about those comments during a media interview via Zoom on Sept 30, Ding admitted candidly that they are right.
The 31-year-old said: “It doesn’t seem like I’ve been playing the way I used to… and their assessment is correct and I don’t know if I will ever reach that level again.”
Ding, who took a nine-month break after becoming world champion in April 2023 by beating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, shared that he has seen a psychologist for his mental state.
He added: “I feel as per normal, the doctor has given some advice (on how to cope). Recently, I have been playing basketball after dinner, trying not to give myself too much stress.
“I feel okay, neither good nor bad. I’m not at my lowest and have walked out of the darkness from the last 1½ years… I’ve moved past that now and I feel like I have been playing decent chess but have not been winning.”
Ding was a replacement for Carlsen for the 2023 World Championship after the five-time champion withdrew from his title defence, citing a lack of motivation.
This meant that Nepomniachtchi – who won the 2022 Candidates tournament in Madrid, Spain – faced Ding, the Candidates runner-up instead in the title-decider in Astana, Kazakhstan.
After both were tied 7-7 in the best-of-14 format, Ding won the rapid play-off 2.5 points to 1.5, capitalising on Nepomniachtchi’s mistakes in time trouble in the last of the shorter-format games.
But some believe that Ding will have his work cut out for his title defence at Resorts World Sentosa.
At the Chess Olympiad, a team event in Budapest, Hungary, which ended a week ago, Ding was winless in eight games. With seven draws and one loss, he amassed the lowest points among China’s five players.
In the Zoom interview, a calm Ding said he hopes that his fortunes would change soon.
He said: “There haven’t been many changes since becoming world champion. I still live at home but, on the chess front, the results aren’t too good.
“Becoming champion doesn’t mean that things will get easier, but I do hope that this will change soon and I’ll give my best at the World Championship.”
When asked about his opponent, 18-year-old Gukesh, Ding said: “My competitor is young but also very strong.
“This test will be extremely difficult as Gukesh is in the form of his life and his Fide rating is getting closer to the 2,800 mark, while my rating has been on the decline and there’s quite a gap between him and I.”
Gukesh is ranked world No. 5 with a Fide rating of 2,794, while Ding is 21st with 2,728 points.
Ding, who was world No. 3 during the 2023 World Championship, added: “The new generation of chess players are very fearsome, especially those in the top 10.
“There are a lot born after 2000, they play fearlessly and are willing to try different strategies that the previous generation might not have.”
Of the top 10, four are born after the year 2000.
Despite admitting to his struggles, Ding cracked a joke when asked about his relationship with Gukesh.
“I’m not his best friend, so I don’t know him that well, but I will get to know more of him as we battle in Singapore,” he said.
“But looking at his games, Gukesh likes to apply pressure on his opponents and, despite his young age, he plays like a seasoned pro.”
Ding’s poor form has been a talking point among the Indian media, with some saying that he will be “massacred” in his title defence.
But not being the favourite suits him more. He said: “I like the fact that the media are saying this and the feeling of being the underdog. I’ll then surprise them.”
Tickets for the World Chess Championship are available at
