World Chess Championship: Of being in the zone, maintaining a poker face and not believing in numerology

On Friday, Anand and Xie Jun, the archetypal Chinese Women’s World Champion, were fittingly fixed the honour of making the ceremonial archetypal moves connected the committee earlier Game 4 of the World Championship astatine Singapore. While Xie Jun was to marque a determination for Ding, Anand would marque a determination for Gukesh. As some legends were introduced, Ding Liren broke into applause for some names. The 18-year-old lad sitting other Ding, who jumps to his feet each clip Anand stands up, had a wholly antithetic reaction. Let unsocial applaud, Gukesh ne'er broke oculus interaction with the board, a measurement of however profoundly successful the portion the 18-year-old tin get erstwhile it’s clip to play.

Another Ding 2nd reveals himself

The satellite knows that Ding is being aided by Hungarian grandmaster Richard Rapport against Gukesh astatine the satellite championship. But astatine the pre-event property conference, Ding had said that helium had travel to Singapore with a fewer seconds who would beryllium spotted. On Friday, different of Ding’s 2nd — an adjunct who helps a subordinate devise strategy for opening stages — made an quality astatine the playing hall. Ni Hua, who has been the skipper of the Chinese chess team, is 1 of the seconds the satellite champion has enlisted to assistance him retired with openings.

This again breaks from contented of satellite title contenders keeping the individuality of seconds adjacent to their chests. Ding’s predecessor Magnus Carlsen was known to support his seconds stationed astatine antithetic countries astir the satellite — alternatively than hazard them being successful the aforesaid state arsenic him — truthful that helium could person entree to astatine slightest 1 of them astatine immoderate hr of the time successful a satellite title contest.

Fischer oregon Kasparov?

At the post-match property conference, Gukesh is asked if helium believes successful numerology similar Garry Kasparov, who is said to person said that since helium was calved connected the 13th of April, it was fitting helium became the 13th satellite champion. The 18-year-old Gukesh is, aft all, looking to go the 18th satellite champion.

“I conjecture I should accidental I judge much successful what Bobby Fischer had said (I judge successful bully moves). So I americium conscionable trying to marque bully moves,” smiles Gukesh.

Poker look problems

At the property conference, some Ding and Gukesh are besides asked if they practise keeping a poker face, particularly erstwhile an hostile makes a blunder.

“SInce I americium incapable to spot my reactions during a game, I don’t cognize if I americium capable to support a poker face,” smiles Ding. “If my hostile makes immoderate mistake, I deliberation I volition amusement immoderate expressions.”

“In wide I deliberation I’m not a precise expressive player. On the committee I bash amusement immoderate emotion from clip to time. But successful wide I’m much of a idiosyncratic who ever maintains a poker face. I don’t truly deliberation excessively overmuch astir it,” helium says portion maintaining a poker face.