Chess Preview: China's world champion Ding seeking first Asian Games gold

Arkady Dvorkovich (L), president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), gives the trophy to Ding Liren during the award ceremony of the FIDE World Chess Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

World champion Ding Liren will be making his Asian Games debut in Hangzhou, aiming for gold in chess.

HANGZHOU, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chess returns to the Asian Games after a 13-year absence, with current FIDE (International Chess Federation) world champion and Zhejiang local Ding Liren seeking his first Asian Games medal.

Born in Wenzhou, 300km south of Hangzhou, Ding became China's first men's world champion in 2023, and has been among the world's top five chess players since 2018.

Also competing in the men's individual event is Ding's teammate Wei Yi. Wei is a grandmaster who, at the age of only 15, broke Magnus Carlsen's record for being the youngest player to reach a rating of 2,700.

China will be favorites in the men's event, after India didn't enter their highest rated players for the individual medal.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa of India competes during the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2023 in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands, Jan. 14, 2023. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua)

Two rising stars of the sport - 17-year-old Dommanraju Gukesh, popularly known as Gukesh D, and 18-year-old Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa - will compete only in the team event.

Also absent is India's veteran and five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand.

Beyond China and India, Vietnam's Quang Liem Le won silver in the men's event when chess last appeared at the 2010 Asian Games and is the next highest FIDE-rated athlete at the Games.

Nineteen-year-old Nodirbek Abdusattorov is another emerging grandmaster, who beat Carlsen on the way to winning the 2021 World Rapid Chess Championship in Warsaw.

Unlike more physical sports, young and old meet on equal terms in chess. The youngest chess player at the Games is 11-year-old Li Yiheng, who represents Hong Kong of China, while 57-year-old Niaz Murshed is the oldest. ■