World Chess Championship set for thrilling finale

Game 14: Ian Nepomniachtchi makes a move.

Vladislav Vodnev/Reuters

CNN
 — 

The World Chess Championship has reached a thrilling finale, with the match all square heading into the final classic game.

World No.2 Ian Nepomniachtchi and China’s Ding Liren are 6½-6½ going into Game 14 of the best-of-14 game series. A point for either player at the St Regis Astana Hotel, Kazakhstan, Saturday will secure the title.

Should the pair draw and end 7-7 for the classic part of championship, the world title will be decided via rapid tiebreaks Sunday. If the pair are still tied, they will compete in blitz tiebreak games.

This World Championship is rather different to previous editions as Magnus Carlsen, the reigning champion, decided not to defend his title. American great Bobby Fischer was the last grandmaster to give up his world title in 1975.

Ding will be playing with his white pieces for the winner-takes-all game.

Stanislav Filippov/AP

In Carlsen’s absence, Nepomniachtchi has faced world No. 3 Liren, the highest-rated Chinese player in history, in a back-and-forth tussle.

Whoever wins, the sport will crown a first-time champion, with Ding a debutant and Nepomniachtchi losing to Carlsen in 2021 in his only championship appearance.

Ding will be playing with his white pieces for the winner-takes-all game and has momentum after the Russian’s Game 12 loss. The pair drew Game 13.

The championship is broadcast live on Chess.com from 5am ET.