Ding Liren Whets Appetite for Magnus Carlsen Match

Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren has already qualified for the 2018 Candidates set for Berlin in March. Next week he faces Magnus Carlsen in rapid and blitz at the Champions Showdown in Saint Louis. Today Ding Liren gave us even more to look forward to in Saint Louis. He seems to be in excellent form, thrilling fans today with an incredible game in the Chinese Chess League on the black side of the Nimzo. Consider taking out your chess board and pieces to ruminate over this aesthetic king hunt.

[pgn] [Event "Chinese Chess League"][Event "Chinese Chess League"][Date "2017.11.04"][White "Bai, Jinshi"][Black "Ding, Liren"][Result "0-1"][WhiteElo "2585"][BlackElo "2759"][PlyCount "64"][EventDate "2017.??.??"][WhiteTeam "China"][BlackTeam "China"][WhiteTeamCountry "CHN"][BlackTeamCountry "CHN"][WhiteClock "0:00:58"][BlackClock "0:22:44"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 O-O 5. Bg5 c5 6. e3 cxd4 7. Qxd4 Nc6 8.Qd3 h6 9. Bh4 d5 10. Rd1 g5 11. Bg3 Ne4 12. Nd2 Nc5 13. Qc2 d4 14. Nf3 e5 15.Nxe5 dxc3 16. Rxd8 cxb2+ 17. Ke2 Rxd8 18. Qxb2 Na4 19. Qc2 Nc3+ 20. Kf3 Rd4 21.h3 h5 22. Bh2 g4+ 23. Kg3 Rd2 24. Qb3 Ne4+ 25. Kh4 Be7+ 26. Kxh5 Kg7 27. Bf4Bf5 28. Bh6+ Kh7 29. Qxb7 Rxf2 30. Bg5 Rh8 31. Nxf7 Bg6+ 32. Kxg4 Ne5+ 0-1[/pgn]

Find more details on the Champions Showdown here.