GM Ian Nepomniachtchi shook up the third round of the 2023 FIDE World Championship by
Ding exerted pressure from the opening, and just as the position appeared to be heading toward equality, Nepomniachtchi quickly played a blunder, 28…Nd4??, allowing a pretty exchange sacrifice. After that, Ding’s solid technique brought home the full point.
Game five begins on Saturday, April 15, at 15:00 Astana time (2 a.m. PT/11:00 CEST) after a rest day.
FM Mike Klein made the ceremonial first move on behalf of Chessable, with the on-brand 1.b3. Unsurprisingly, Ding took this move back and instead opted for the English Opening, despite losing against Nepomniachtchi with this first move in the 2022 FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament. The position immediately deviated from their Candidates game, and a Reversed Rossolimo setup was reached in a line that Nepomniachtchi said he had not specifically expected.
Over the next few moves, Nepomniachtchi’s body language suggested he was trying to remember his lines, perhaps thinking all the way back to his 2021 world championship preparation versus GM Magnus Carlsen. His quick 9…Nf4 prompted commentator Giri to speculate that he had mixed up his preparation as a result of similar-looking lines, and this speculation was confirmed as accurate by Nepomniachtchi in the press conference.