Players and officials were surprised by snowfall and freezing temperatures in Astana on Saturday, but the 2023 FIDE World Championship is heating up. In game five, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi broke away once again as he exploited his opening and time advantage to put pressure on GM Ding Liren until the Chinese world number-three made some decisive mistakes and collapsed before the time control.

It was a trademark game by Nepomniachtchi, who blitzed out his first 20 moves and finished with 1 hour and 22 minutes on the clock when Ding resigned on move 48.

Chess.com commentator GM Anish Giri concluded about Ding: “He got outplayed today. He made a lot of mistakes.”

The match score is now 3-2, as the Chinese GM will try to strike back with the white pieces on Sunday, April 16, at 15:00 Astana time (2 a.m. ET/11:00 CEST).

This is a flash report. The full report, including photographs, videos, and game annotations will be added soon. 

How to watch the 2023 FIDE World Chess Championship 

GM Rafael Leitao analyzes the full game below. (It will be added soon.)

Match score

The 2023 FIDE World Championship is the most important over-the-board classical event of the year and decides who will be the next world champion. Nepomniachtchi and Ding play a match to decide who takes over Carlsen’s throne after the current world champion abdicated his title. The match has a €2 million prize fund and is played over 14 classical games; the first player to gain 7.5 points wins.

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