The story behind the game
In game six of the 2023 championship in Astana, Ding’s London System becomes a struggle over active pieces and Black’s advancing a-pawn. Follow the rook routes and knight jumps before studying the quiet d-pawn move. The recorded finish shows a king attack competing with promotion, rather than a simple race of two pawns.
Take these ideas to your next game
- A rook lift can give a piece several useful routes.
- An outpost is valuable because of its targets and supporting pawns.
- Calculate a threatened rook exchange before abandoning an active knight move.
- During an attack, compare a quiet improvement with immediate checks.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Ding plays 18.Ra3, giving the rook a route along the third rank. This rook later visits b3, returns to a3 and eventually reaches a5 and c5. Its first lift is about flexibility, not an immediate mating threat. Identify the squares available to it and compare them with Black’s plan in the centre.
The move 22.Nc5 gives the knight an active, supported square. The position still contains central tension, and Black replies …e5 in the game. An outpost must be evaluated alongside those pawn breaks. The knight’s targets explain its activity; they do not remove the need to calculate the opponent’s next threat.
Ding plays 29.Nd6, creating a threat against the rook on e8. In the game, …Rxe5 is answered by Qxe5, and Black’s queen captures b2. The knight move must be understood together with those exchanges. Active threats can preserve the initiative even when a pawn on the other wing is lost.
Ding chooses 41.d5, improving central control without giving check. The historical continuation includes …a2, Qc7, …Kh7, Ng6, …Rg8 and Qf7. The opponent resigned, so do not describe an unplayed mate as a recorded move. Compare the saved defensive lines with that continuation. The practical question is whether the king attack gives White time to act before the a-pawn can decide the game.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 18: Give the rook another route
White’s a-pawn has reached a5. How can the a1-rook use the space behind it to become active? In the game: Ra3. Ding plays 18.Ra3, giving the rook a route along the third rank. This rook later visits b3, returns to a3 and eventually reaches a5 and c5. Its first lift is about flexibility, not an immediate mating threat. Identify the squares available to it and compare them with Black’s plan in the centre.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rec1 Bh7 b4 Nf5 Nb3 Nd6 h3 Re8 Nc5 Nf5 Qe2 Nd6 · +0.61 · depth 19
h3 Bh7 · +0.50 · depth 19
Ra3 Bc2 Ra2 Bf5 Raa1 b6 axb6 Qxb6 b4 a5 b5 Bh7 · +0.47 · depth 18
Move 22: Use a supported outpost
White’s knight is on b3. Which jump attacks b7 from a square supported by the d4-pawn? In the game: Nc5. The move 22.Nc5 gives the knight an active, supported square. The position still contains central tension, and Black replies …e5 in the game. An outpost must be evaluated alongside those pawn breaks. The knight’s targets explain its activity; they do not remove the need to calculate the opponent’s next threat.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nc5 Rac8 b4 Na7 Raa1 Bh7 Re5 Qc7 Qf3 Nc6 Re2 Na7 · +1.01 · depth 18
Re3 Rac8 Nc5 Qc7 Be2 Qxg3 Rxg3 Rc7 f4 Bc2 Ra1 Ne7 · +0.93 · depth 18
Raa1 Rac8 · +0.71 · depth 18
Move 29: Make a threat before the exchange
The knight has captured b7. Can it attack the e8-rook while White’s rook on e5 is under pressure? In the game: Nd6. Ding plays 29.Nd6, creating a threat against the rook on e8. In the game, …Rxe5 is answered by Qxe5, and Black’s queen captures b2. The knight move must be understood together with those exchanges. Active threats can preserve the initiative even when a pawn on the other wing is lost.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nd6 Rxe5 Qxe5 Qxb2 Ra5 Bd3 Ne8 Qb1+ Kh2 Qb8 Qxb8 Rxb8 · +1.07 · depth 19
Rxe8+ Rxe8 Nd6 Re1+ Kh2 f6 f4 Rb1 f5 Kh8 Nxc4 Qb5 · +0.58 · depth 19
Na5 Qxb2 Nxc4 Qc1+ Kh2 Rxe5 Qxe5 Bd3 Qe3 Qd1 Ne5 Qxh5+ · +0.22 · depth 19
Move 41: Improve the attack without check
Black’s a-pawn is close to promotion. Which central pawn advance gives White more control while keeping the attack alive? In the game: d5. Ding chooses 41.d5, improving central control without giving check. The historical continuation includes …a2, Qc7, …Kh7, Ng6, …Rg8 and Qf7. The opponent resigned, so do not describe an unplayed mate as a recorded move. Compare the saved defensive lines with that continuation. The practical question is whether the king attack gives White time to act before the a-pawn can decide the game.
Engine-supported alternatives
d5 · +3.16 · depth 19
Nd5 Rg8 Ne7 Re8 Ng6+ Bxg6 hxg6 Qb2 Qc7 Rg8 Qf7 Qb8+ · +2.77 · depth 19
Ng6+ Bxg6 hxg6 Qb2 Qc7 Rg8 Qf7 Qb8+ g3 f5 Rxa3 Rf8 · +2.49 · depth 19
Every piece has a part to play.
In game six of the 2023 championship in Astana, Ding’s London System becomes a struggle over active pieces and Black’s advancing a-pawn. Follow the rook routes and knight jumps before studying the quiet d-pawn move. The recorded finish shows a king attack competing with promotion, rather than a simple race of two pawns.
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 12–23. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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