What has happened to Ding Liren?
His result in the first Candidates tournament a year ago was miserable. He seemed to have at least righted the ship in the second part of the ill fated tournament until todaze game.
Giri, Anish (NED) – Ding, Liren (CHN)
FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament 2020-2021 round 11
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Bd6 8. Nbd2 Be6 9. Nb3 Qe7 10. Na5 O-O-O 11. Qe2 Bg4 12. c3 c5 13. a3 c6 14. b4 Bc7 15. Nb3 Nd7 16. h3 Bh5 17. Be3 f5 18. Bxc5 Qf7 19. Rab1 g5 20. exf5 g4 21. Ng5 Qxf5 22. h4 b6 23. Ne4 bxc5 24. bxc5 Nf6 25. Nd6+ Bxd6 26. cxd6 Rxd6 27. d4 c5 28. Nxc5 Re8 29. Qc4 1-0
For a GM battling in the Candidates tournament this is about as bad as it gets…This is a prime example of what SM Brian McCarthy called, “letting go of the rope.”
Armchair Warrior 