NEW DELHI: Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh, the youngest-ever challenger at 18, is set for a high-stakes battle against defending champion Ding Liren as the World Chess Championship enters its crucial 13th game on Wednesday. With the scores tied at 6-6 in the best-of-14 classical games format, the first player to reach 7.5 points will claim the prestigious title and a significant share of the $2.5 million prize pool.
Gukesh, who lost a critical lead in the 12th round, faces an uphill task against the experienced 32-year-old Chinese Grandmaster.
