Ian Nepomniachtchi draws with Ding Liren in Game 1 of World Chess Championship – as it happened
Contestants are all square at 0½-all in world title matchupCarlsen’s spectre looms as Nepo and Ding launch title matchLeonard Barden: Nepo and Ding face off for €2m in AstanaDing plays 10. … Nc5. Will we see a queen exchange? Nepomniachtchi is away from the board, but he returns and immediately plays 11. Qe3 to move the queen out of harm’s way, clearly still in his preparation.Ding plays 7. … Kd7 after a 10-minute think. Nepomniachtchi immediately counters with 8. d4, prompting a pawn exchange (8. … exd4 9. Qxd4). Ding castles (9. … O-O) and Nepomniachtchi continues to blitz out his moves, getting his black bishop into the action with 10. Bf4. Continue reading…