context: 1. e2e4 Gukesh is finally ready to face the French Defense again. 1... e7e6  2. d2d4  2... d7d5  3. b1c3  3... g8f6  4. e4e5  4... f6d7  5. c3e2 The challenger plays the same plan he tried in the first game of the match, albeit with a different move order (there he played 5.f4 first). 5... c7c5  6. c2c3  6... b8c6  7. a2a3 A rare move. 7.f4 transposes to the position discussed in the first game of the match. 7... f8e7  8. c1e3 An opening novelty that was played instantly. The idea is to hold the pawn on d4 firmly, as it's the important stronghold in White's position. Development can be completed by moving the knight to f4, also preparing an attack on the kingside. White has a space advantage, a characteristic of this pawn structure, so if he manages to finish development the attack can be very dangerous. 8... d7b6 Ding Liren thought for a long time on this move, an idea that changes the character of the game, as the knight will go to c4 and will be captured. 9. e2f4 White doesn't need to worry about the knight move to c4. 9... c5d4  10. c3d4  10... b6c4 The natural continuation of Black's plan. 11. f1c4  11... d5c4  12. g1e2  12... b7b5  13. e1g1  13... e8g8  14. e2c3  14... a8b8  15. f4h5 White wants Nh5-Qg4 and this is the right move order. 15... f7f5  16. e5f6  16... e7f6  17. d1f3 A very tempting move, planning to go with the queen to g3, but the capture on d4 is tactically possible. 17... d8e8  18. h5f6  18... f8f6  19. f3e2 White is fighting for the advantage again. 19... e8g6  20. f2f3 An excellent move, removing the power of a potential bishop on the h1-a8 diagonal, preparing Bf2-g3 and securing the e4-square for the knight. 20... f6f8  21. a1d1  21... c6e7  22. e3f4 I like this tactical move a lot. The bishop takes a shortcut to a better diagonal. 22... b8b6  23. f4c7  23... b6b7  24. c7d6  24... f8e8  25. d6e7 An interesting and difficult positional decision. It was hard to evaluate its merits during the game. 25... e8e7  26. e2e5  26... a7a6  27. d4d5 Both players were, as usual, in time trouble. Dramatic mistakes are expected in this situation, especially since Black has to play carefully to defend and White needs to be accurate to exploit a possible mistake. 27... e6d5  28. e5d5  28... g6e6  29. d5c5  29... e7e8 The only defense. 30. d1e1  30... e6f7 This is a dramatic moment in the match. 31. c3e4 Missing a forced win. 31... e8f8 The only move. 32. e4d6  32... b7c7 Ding finds the only moves in time trouble. 33. c5e5 