The black and white passion of the Chinese Ding, new world chess champion: “I support Juve and I would like to go to Turin to see it”

TURIN. The new world chess champion is rooting for Juventus. “I’d like to go to Turin to watch a Juventus match, my favorite team.” So answered the Chinese Liren Ding, 30, today in Astana, Kazakhstan, in the press conference set up immediately after his victory in the match with the Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, which earned him the conquest of the maximum title. This was reported by the chess24.com website, which followed the entire event live.

The World Chess Championship ended today in Astana, Kazakhstan. Ding prevailed in the last of the half-time play-offs. The Chinese faced the Russian after the Norwegian title holder Magnus Carlsen withdrew.

The ‘regular’ series of 14 long games, which began on April 9, ended in a draw. Today the two players drew the first three games of the tiebreaker. Ding then won the last one. “I dedicate the victory to my mother, my family, my friends,” he declared at the press conference held in Astana, as well as declaring his “sympathy” for Juventus. Former world champion Magnus Carlsen (who renounced the title he held since 2013 essentially stating that he had little motivation to play with this type of formula) immediately congratulated his successor via twitter, praising in particular the move by a rook that changed the course of the game: «A self-pinning (a technical term – ed) for immortality».