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Ding downs Nakamura in just three games
Ding Liren powered past Hikaru Nakamura and into the last four of the $150,000 Chessable Masters with the minimum of fuss today.
The Chinese number 1 took just three games to dispatch fan favourite Hikaru Nakamura and set up a semi-final clash with World Champion Magnus Carlsen.
It followed a dramatic match yesterday that saw Nakamura, the popular American streamer who boasts 435,000 followers on Twitch, come back to level the tie.
Ding had convincingly won the first set on Friday while Nakamura needed a blitz play-off and an Armageddon tiebreak on Sunday to draw level.
On his upcoming match with Ding, Carlsen said: “It’s going to be tough obviously but I feel good.
“He [Ding] has shown in these tournaments, and especially in this match, that he has got some serious positional jobs, he can just run you over without giving you counter chances in a lot of games. So he is extremely strong.
Ding said of the semi-final clash to come: “It’s a very exciting match I have and just enjoy the games. I’m very happy to play against Magnus since we play a lot of exciting and fighting games.”
Today’s deciding set started with a draw but then Ding took control to win the second and third games, meaning a fourth wasn’t needed.
The event, broadcast live on chess24, is the next stage of the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour which carries a total prize pot of $1 million, a record for the online game.
About the tournament
The Chessable Masters, which runs until July 5, is being put on in association with Chessable and the tour’s Education Partner, leading Swiss private banking group, Julius Baer.
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