Ding, Liren – Carlsen, Magnus

2791 2020 · White wins (resignation, time or agreement)

Ding Liren, the Chinese grandmaster who would go on to become World Champion in 2023, faces Magnus Carlsen in a Sicilian Najdorf. Ding is renowned for his encyclopedic opening preparation and exceptional defensive resilience. Against him, Carlsen deploys the Najdorf — an opening historically associated with the game’s greatest attackers — to probe the limits of China’s elite preparation.