Great fighting spirit by Gukesh $1 Again he is the one willing to take risks.
1. c2c4 Continuing the match trend of a new opening per game, this time Ding Liren plays the English Opening. It certainly didn't come as a surprise to Gukesh's team. 1... e7e5  2. b1c3  2... f8b4 The third most popular move, but not worse than 2...Nf6 or 2...Nc6. 3. c3d5 The natural reply, forcing Black to defend the bishop. 3... b4e7 3...Bc5 and 3...a5 are also popular options. 4. g1f3 This move has been the favorite of strong GMs recently. 4... d7d6  5. g2g3  5... c7c6  6. d5e7  6... g8e7 This is the point of Black's previous move. The knight is developed to e7. 7. f1g2  7... f7f6 Already a new move. Instead of castling (the most natural move), Gukesh immediately prepares d6-d5. 8. e1g1  8... c8e6  9. b2b3  9... d6d5  10. c1a3 This is not the first game in which Ding has made a surprising development of the bishop to this diagonal. 10... e8g8  11. a1c1  11... a7a5 Preparing Na6-b4 or maybe a5-a4. This highlights a small problem with the bishop on a3. 12. f3e1 Ding chooses an interesting plan, more or less typical of the English Opening, although it looks a bit funny: to play f2-f4 without moving any of the central pawns. 12... f8e8  13. f2f4  13... e5f4 The sharpest continuation. 14. f1f4 This is the point of White's plan. The rook becomes active, the knight can go to d3, and we have a strange position on the board with White's central pawns still on their initial squares. 14... d5c4  15. b3c4  15... e7g6  16. f4e4 The rook occupies a central position. This is an active square, but it also leaves the rook open to an attack by the f-pawn. 16... b8a6 Gukesh decides to finish development. He could also try the advance of the f-pawn: 17. e1c2 Not the square I expected for the knight. 17... d8c7 A calm move. 18. c2d4  18... e6f7  19. d2d3  19... g6e5 Now the rook on e4 remains a bit exposed and can be attacked with Bf7-g6. 20. d4f3 Ding tries to exchange the strong knight on e5. 20... e5d7 A strange move. 21. e4e8  21... a8e8 An important moment in the game. 22. c1b1 This move doesn't fight against Black's plan. 22... b7b5  23. c4b5  23... c7b6  24. g1f1  24... c6b5 Black's queenside begins to advance and his initiative is now clear. 25. a3b2 White's position quickly goes downhill. 25... f7a2 Gukesh simply takes the pawn and has two dangerous passers on the queenside. 26. b2d4  26... a6c5 A big mistake that starts to change the trend of the game. 27. b1c1  27... a2b3  28. d1e1 The queen is going to f2. 28... b3e6 A surprising turn of events. Black is in great danger now. 29. e1f2  29... e8c8  30. d4e3 The bishop gives way to the pawn or to the knight. Both pieces will make better use of the d4-square. 30... c8c7 Preventing d3-d4. 31. f3d4  31... e6f7  32. d4c6  32... c7c6  33. g2c6  33... b6c6  34. e3c5 White has gained the exchange, but the situation is not yet clear. Black has two dangerous passed pawns and can also try to exploit the light squares near the opponent's king. Here there's a clear disparity between the computer's evaluation and what a human would normally think. It's unlikely that a human would assess this position as almost winning for White, as the computer does. 34... h7h6 It's useful to give some air to the king. 35. f1e1  35... b5b4 The natural advance for a human being, but the computer suggests the other pawn advance, something that could be dismissed on general grounds since the pawns will be blocked. But never judge a book by its cover $1 36. f2d4  36... d7e5 Suddenly Black has serious compensation and the position becomes difficult to play. With both players low on time, at this point anything could happen. 37. e1d2  37... c6g2  38. d4f2  38... g2d5  39. f2d4  39... d5g2  40. d4f2  40... g2d5  41. f2d4 