The World Chess Championship match between defending champion Ding Liren of China and challenger D. Gukesh from Chennai is set to take place in Singapore from November 23rd. This year’s championship will introduce a new tie-breaker rule, adding another layer of complexity and excitement to the competition.
According to the regulations released by the world chess governing body, FIDE, the tie-breakers will now see a gradual decrease in time control. The rapid playoff will begin with four games of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. This is a change from the previous championship, where the rapid playoff featured four games of 25 minutes plus 10-second increment. If a tie persists after the rapid playoff, a two-game rapid playoff of 10 minutes (plus five-second increment) will be played. Only if the tie remains unbroken after this stage will the blitz playoffs be employed.
The 14 classical games in the championship will adhere to a time control of two hours for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remaining moves, with a 30-second increment from the 41st move onwards. A player who achieves 7.5 points will be declared the champion, avoiding the pressure of the tie-breaker stages. The championship boasts a substantial $2.5 million prize fund. Each player will receive $200,000 for every game won, with the remaining amount divided equally. In the event of a tie-break, the champion will receive $1,300,000 while the runner-up will receive $1,200,000.
This new tie-breaker system is sure to create heightened tension and add another dimension to the already intense competition between Ding Liren and D. Gukesh. Chess enthusiasts worldwide are eagerly anticipating the championship and the exciting possibilities that the revised tie-breaker rules bring.
