Ding Liren

Ding Liren, born on October twenty-four, nineteen ninety-two, is a distinguished Chinese chess grandmaster who made history by becoming the seventeenth World Chess Champion from twenty twenty-three to twenty twenty-four. His remarkable journey in chess includes being a three-time Chinese Chess Champion and a vital member of the Chinese teams that triumphed in the Chess Olympiads of two thousand fourteen and two thousand eighteen.

Notably, Ding was the first Chinese player to compete in a Candidates Tournament and the only one to surpass the two thousand eight hundred Elo mark in the FIDE world rankings. His prowess in blitz chess was highlighted in July two thousand sixteen when he achieved a blitz rating of two thousand eight hundred seventy-five, making him the highest-rated Blitz player globally at that time.

In July twenty twenty-three, Ding ascended to the top of the Rapid chess rankings with a rating of two thousand eight hundred thirty. His highest classical rating of two thousand eight hundred sixteen was recorded in November two thousand eighteen, and he reached a peak classical ranking of number two in November twenty twenty-one, trailing only Magnus Carlsen.

Ding's remarkable unbeaten streak in classical chess lasted from August two thousand seventeen to November two thousand eighteen, during which he recorded twenty-nine victories and seventy-one draws. This unprecedented one hundred-game unbeaten streak was the longest in top-level chess history until it was surpassed by Magnus Carlsen in two thousand nineteen. Additionally, Ding was the runner-up in the Chess World Cups of two thousand seventeen and two thousand nineteen and secured second place in the Candidates Tournament of twenty twenty-two, which qualified him for the World Chess Championship twenty twenty-three against Ian Nepomniachtchi. After a hard-fought match that ended in a tie, Ding emerged victorious in the rapid tie breaks, claiming the title of World Chess Champion.

However, his reign was short-lived as he lost the title to Gukesh Dommaraju in the final game of the World Chess Championship twenty twenty-four, concluding with a score of six and a half to seven and a half.