11.30.24 Speechless, a shock, and very unexpected were terms used to describe Game 5 of the FIDE World Chess Championship. An Exchange Variation of the French Defense appeared on the board. This game represents only the second time in the history of World Chess Championship Matches that this opening was played. Gukesh made a serious error on move 23, Ding had the upper hand, and then, suddenly, the game ended in a draw.

Welcome to the age of Alpha Zero, neural networks, and silicon chess! In this modern chess landscape, it seems that just about anything is playable even at the highest levels. Playing 3.exd5 and sending the game into a French Exchange Variation was "the biggest shock of the Match" according to GM Susan Polgar who was commenting on the game with GM Robert Hess on Chess.com. 

The queens came off the board on move 9 which, conventional wisdom would indicate, ushered the game down even more drawish lines than the already drawish Exchange Varition would foretell. But these are not conventional times!

On 17.g4, a move the great Cuban World Champion J.R. Capablanca would be horrified by as it gives up the juicy f4-square for Black's knight, the game was catapulted into completely new and unexpected terrain. After exchanging a minor piece in the center, Gukesh played 23.dxe5 after just 17-seconds. That allowed Ding's knight to land on d3 and, when it did, the result was a cold shower for Gukesh. In the post-game press conference, Gukesh said, "I should have played 23.Rxe5. I just blundered. My position is collapsing." Polgar shared her opinion that after Black's knight moved to d3, Gukesh realized just how big a mistake 23.dxe5 was. 

At this point White was in damage control thinking about ways to hold the game to a draw.

Then, suddenly, in a position in which Ding could have pressed for a win with 29...Bh5, he chose 29...Bc6, and, with a subsequent rook exchange, the position quickly fizzled into a triple-repeat draw. 

Ding had an opportunity in Game 5 to again take the lead in this Match 

(image courtesy FIDE/Eng Chin An)

Fun Fact: The Exchange Variation of the French Defense was last seen in World Championship Match competition in Game 1 of Capablanca - Alekhine 1927.

The Match continues on with Game 6 tomorrow at 4:00 a.m. eastern (5:00 p.m. local time in Singapore).

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