Momentum is a key component of sporting contests. A team equalises after being a goal down and the entire equation changes.
Those who want to see China come up with its first world chess champion, and hence backing Ding Liren, are hoping that their man would not lose this chance. His World chess title match against the Russian 'neutralite' Ian Nepomniachthchi in Astana, Kazakhstan, is tied 2-2. The fifth of 14 games will be played on Saturday after Friday's rest day.
If Ding loses from here, he will join the select band of players who have lost their matches despite equalising. Challengers Vishy Anand (2014) and Viktor Korchnoi (1978) suffered that way against Magnus Carlsen and Anatoly Karpov respectively. Karpovhim self had lost his matches to Garry Kasparov both as a champion and challenger after levelling the match. But those were long matches (24 games) where plenty of games were in hand when the scores were tied.
That brings us back to the uniqueness of the ongoing match as neither Nepo nor Ding have won the World title previously and none enjoys the aura and experience of a world champion.
Nepo has the experience of playing the last match but he has already lost five world championship games in 15 attempts (four in 11 games against Carlsen in 2021 and one in Astana), a staggering low by any standards, especially in the era of computers.
Ding has the disadvantage of playing his maiden match but that is negated by the first-time hunger and his opponent's non-champion status. Nepo clearly showed his inexperience when he allowed a non-violence variation in the third game.
