The reigning champion allowed Gukesh a fast start but slowly -- and then rapidly -- changed the tide of the match as he put the squeeze on in the latter half of the game. In the last thirty minutes of the first two hour time control, Ding took complete control and eased into a winning position soon into the next time control of half an hour.

Gukesh was forced into severe time trouble. He escaped losing on time by just one second. But world champion Ding Liren handed him a first game defeat in a few more moves.