World Champion #17
2023–2024
China
Ding Liren
China's first World Chess Champion, winning the title Carlsen chose not to defend.
Photo: Stefan64 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Biography
Ding won the 2023 World Championship (vacated by Carlsen) in a tense match against Ian Nepomniachtchi, decided in rapid tiebreak games after the classical portion finished level.
He defended the title in 2024 against a young challenger, Gukesh Dommaraju, ultimately losing in the match's final, fourteenth game.
Playing Style
Deeply calculating and resilient under pressure, exemplified by the resourceful comeback wins that carried him through the 2023 title match itself.
Notable Games
Ding Liren vs. Nepomniachtchi, Rapid Tiebreak
The decisive rapid game that made Ding the first World Champion from China.
Fun Facts
- He is the first World Champion from China.
- He once held one of the longest unbeaten streaks in classical chess history — around 100 games without a loss.