Nepomniachtchi Breaks Away Again, Outplays Ding In Game 5

Players and officials were surprised by snowfall, freezing temperatures, and heavy winds in Astana on Saturday, but the 2023 FIDE World Championship is heating up. In game five, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi broke away once again as he exploited his opening and time advantages to put pressure on GM Ding Liren until the Chinese world number-three made some decisive mistakes and collapsed before the time control.

It was a trademark game by Nepomniachtchi, who blitzed out his first 22 moves and finished with one hour and 22 minutes on the clock when Ding resigned on move 48.

Chess.com commentator GM Anish Giri concluded about Ding: "He got outplayed today. He made a lot of mistakes."

The match score is now 3-2, as the Chinese GM will try to strike back with the white pieces on Sunday, April 16, at 15:00 Astana time (2 a.m. PT/11:00 CEST). 

The 2023 FIDE World Championship match is turning into become a real classic. After five games, three of them have already been decisive, more than the 2016 and 2018 matches combined.

Chess.com commentators Giri and Naroditsky couldn't talk enough about how "amazing" the match is, with plenty of action for chess fans in every game.

GM Maurice Ashley agreed.

Nepo bounces back with a victory to once again take a one point lead. With three wins in the first five games, this is shaping up to be one of the most dramatic World championship matches in recent memory. #NepoDing pic.twitter.com/gRBSgTiZ4R

— Maurice Ashley (@MauriceAshley) April 15, 2023

In the last five matches, none of them have had more decisive games after five rounds. "I can't predict what's happening in this match anymore, " Giri said, while Naroditsky remarked: "This has more twists than a Hollywood drama."

Call me elitist, but if you don't like this match, you are not a chess fan.

— Anish Giri (@anishgiri) April 15, 2023

Game five was a Ruy Lopez, and as in game two, the players followed a rapid game played by Giri, who lost with the black pieces against GM Alireza Firouzja in the Champions Chess Tour Final in Miami last year. At the press conference, Nepomniachtchi admitted that he was in his opening preparation when he spent just a few minutes on the first 20 moves.

"Definitely the position was in my prep, but for the most part, he played quite sensible moves. It's quite normal I think."

Nepomniachtchi's longest think came on move 24, where he eventually seized the initiative.

Giri: "I think the opening has worked out majestically for Ian. I think he couldn't have hoped for this in his wildest dreams. Ding has chosen the most uncomfortable setup with Bd8, Ne7. This is the clumsiest setup from all the options we were looking at"#NepoDing pic.twitter.com/wENysup7bk

— chess24.com (@chess24com) April 15, 2023

Nepomniachtchi got a pleasant position with attacking chances on the kingside. Naroditsky and Giri both thought the Russian GM erased his advantage when he chose 27.Qg4 instead of 27.Qf3!.

But then Ding missed an opportunity to recover in a key moment on move 29. 

"I think the critical moment is that I should have played Qf6 instead of Nxf5. I missed his move g4, which is quite strong... it's a very good game played by him." Ding said.

"Probably there were better ways to defend for Black, but I was basically pressing and that was it." Nepomniachtchi said.

Ding's final mistake came on move 37. Then there was no turning back.

After 37.g5! the moves 37...Qd7 or 37...Qc8, hoping for Qb7, may have been Ding Liren's last slight chance, but his 37...hxg5 is "losing completely" (Giri)https://t.co/9tOVF1JU55#DingNepo pic.twitter.com/DKeMhcc55b

— chess24.com (@chess24com) April 15, 2023

GM Rafael Leitao analyzes the full game below.

You can watch the analysis by GM Hikaru Nakamura or GMs Fabiano Caruana and Cristian Chirila below.

Chess is an indoor sport for the most part, but the weather has become an issue in the Kazakh capital. Today the players woke up to a surprising snowfall and freezing temperatures with heavy winds of up to 31 mph.

Chess.com's FM Mike Klein reports that the spectator area in Astana, which is never full, is the lightest he's seen of the five world championship matches he's attended. Only the 2014 match in Sochi, Russia is comparable in terms of spectators.

Nepomniachtchi said he decided to skip spending time in the resting lounge, as it was simply too cold there.

Winter Ding/Spring Ding
view from host hotel. #NepoDing pic.twitter.com/LoL2sT4gn1

— Mike Klein (@ChessMike) April 15, 2023

The question now is whether Ding once again can strike back and turn the score. There have not been many examples of comebacks in recent matches. Asked about this at the press conference, Ding, who was open about his "emotional problems" after his first loss, thinks this one was worse.

"This loss hurt more than the previous loss. There are still many rounds where I can recover from the loss." Ding said.

Giri, however, suggested on the broadcast that he thinks Ding is likely to recover and tie the match eventually. 

While the new world champion is soon to be crowned, the soon-to-be-former champion posted a picture on his Instagram from Las Vegas hinting that he is taking an interest in the match. GM Magnus Carlsen has been showing off his poker skills in a tournament with some of the world's top TikTokers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Magnus Carlsen (@magnus_carlsen)

Asked about this by Klein, Nepomniachtchi gave the quote of the day.

Nepo literally doesn't care! 😮😂 #NepoDing pic.twitter.com/kGbv6yXbJy

— Chess.com (@chesscom) April 15, 2023

Match Score

The 2023 FIDE World Championship is the most important over-the-board classical event of the year and decides who will be the next world champion. Nepomniachtchi and Ding play a match to decide who takes over Carlsen's throne after the current world champion abdicated his title. The match has a €2 million prize fund and is played over 14 classical games; the first player to gain 7.5 points wins.

Previous reports:

• Confident Ding Wins Game 4, Levels Match Score
• Ding Holds Nepomniachtchi To Draw In Game 3
• Nepomniachtchi Wins Game 2 With Black After Navigating Ding's Novelty
• Nepomniachtchi Presses Big Advantage In Game 1, Ding Escapes
• All The World Chess Champions
• Meet The Challenger: Ding Liren
• 5 Most Memorable Games Between Ian Nepomniachtchi, Ding Liren
• FIDE World Championship 2023: All The Information