2019 Sinquefield Cup Recap Playoffs
The 2019 Sinquefield Cup came to an exciting conclusion in a tiebreak match between Ding Liren and Magnus Carlsen. The day kicked off with two rapid games, both of which concluded in a draw. In the first game, the World Champion had to resort to passive defense to save the half point with the white pieces then went on to draw comfortably with the black pieces. From there the match moved on to blitz, the fastest time control in chess. In the first thrilling game, Ding Liren outplayed his opponent but was having difficulty putting in the finishing touch to get the full point. With seconds left on the clock, after just one second hesitation, Carlsen ran out of time, thus conceding the game. This result meant that he was in a must win situation to keep the match going. The spectacular second blitz game is how the tournament will be remembered, as Ding delivered the final blow in a lightning fast speed, stunning his opponent. The final position was so picturesque, that even the World Champion couldn’t help but smile upon resignation. Ding Liren earns $82,500 and 16 GCT points for his efforts. He is now in second place in overall GCT standings and has almost certainly punched his ticket to London Finals.
