The FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 match between China’s world champion Ding Liren and India’s teenage challenger Gukesh Dommaraju will be held at Resorts World Sentosa.
The organisers have also announced that the 14-game match, which will feature two contestants from Asia for the first time in 138 years, will be held from Nov 23 to Dec 15, reported Chess.com.
Gukesh, at 18, became the youngest player to qualify for the $2.5 million World Chess Championship match when he won the Candidates Tournament earlier this year. Ding, 31, has been the world champion since defeating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi in the World Chess Championship match last year.
If Gukesh beats Ding, he will become the youngest world champion in history.
Singapore had beaten Indian cities New Delhi and Chennai in the race to host the World Chess Championship.
Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore’s first integrated resort, will offer a distinctive blend of leisure and entertainment options, where players, officials and fans can look forward to having a memorable experience, the organisers said.
“We are privileged to partner RWS in hosting the championship, and we look forward to witnessing the intricacies of this match unfold against the backdrop of an exceptional integrated resort,” said Mr Kevin Goh, CEO of the Singapore Chess Federation (SCF) and chair of the organising committee in a press release.
“This partnership preserves the prestige of the FIDE World Chess Championship while introducing an element of modernity and excitement – visitors can enjoy the luxury of having many attractions a stone’s throw away from the match venue to complement the existing suite of ancillary chess events.”
Ms Lee Shi Ruh, RWS president, said in a statement: “RWS is excited to welcome the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 match and its fans from across the globe.
“RWS is home to a variety of world-class events that cater to different passions – just as the game of chess is renowned for its depth and ingenuity, RWS presents a diverse range of offerings with something for everyone.
“Our collaboration with the SCF captures the very essence of RWS as a top-notch MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) destination for lifestyle and entertainment, and also further presents Singapore’s overall attractive appeal as a premier global hub for international sports and cultural events.”
The SCF will also organise a top-level open tournament in conjunction with the World Championship match.
The Singapore International Open will run from Nov 29 to Dec 5 at the Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre. There will also be Under-8 to Under-20 national tournaments that are open to foreign guests. Those run from Nov 24 to 28.
“It’s amazing that I will not only be able to witness the World Championship match up close but also compete in a strong international tournament in my own country,” said local grandmaster Siddharth Jagadeesh, who at 17 is Singapore’s youngest ever grandmaster.
Tickets for the FIDE World Chess Championship Match will go on sale soon. There will also be extensive live coverage and commentary across multiple platforms, ensuring that the excitement reaches a global audience.
In a prelude to the World Championship match, Gukesh and Ding played out a draw in Round 1 of the Sinquefield Cup in St Louis, United States, on Aug 20.
It was their first encounter since the Indian teen won the Candidates Tournament in April, reported the Hindustan Times.
They went into the game with Ding holding a 2-0 lead over Gukesh in classical chess, both his wins coming with the black pieces. His most recent win against the Indian was at the Tata Steel Chess tournament last January.
In St Louis, Ding had a chance to make life difficult for Gukesh, but he hesitated and the Indian escaped unscathed.
“I wanted to surprise him in the opening but also save my preparation,” Ding said after the game with Gukesh.
“I’m playing better now than I was in the beginning of the year. I played many training games and although I lost many of them, I learnt a lot from my losses.”
