Peking University, July 7, 2017: On June 26, the Chinese men's chess team led by Ding Liren, a 2017 graduate of the Law School of PKU, defended the title again in the 2017 FIDE World Team Championship after the last event in 2015. In Round 9, the Chinese men's chess team conquered the competent Polish team by a score of 2.5 to 1.5, gaining 16 points with 7 wins and 2 draws, and 24.5 innings with 13 wins and 23 draws. The host Russia, Poland, India, Turkey, America, ranked 2 to 6 in the event.
Ding competing with a Polish player
Ding Liren performed steadily in the events. Sit in the first stand, he confronted superb players around the world with ease and composure. Not merely did he remained unsurpassed, but also notched up a victory in the key inning that concerns the team points in a confrontation with the Ukrainian team. Ding Liren defeated the world-renowned player Ponomarev who had won the world individual championship, making great contributions to the Chinese team.
According to the leading teacher of Beida Chess Club, this was the third time that Ding had led the team to win the world championship in the team events, and was a consummation of over 10 major international championships he has won during the school. Ding rated 2694 in FIDE when he enrolled in September 2012; tough ranked top domestically, he fell behind the world first-class chess players. With persistent efforts, his rate rose to 2783 by June 2017; besides, he became an acknowledged top-class grandmaster by further creating the national chess record and stabilizing himself the top in China, the first two in Asia, and the first ten in the whole world. At present, narrowing the gap of 40 points between himself and the world chess champion Carlson, Ding is right in the ascension of clambering the peak of world chess competitions.
In the eve of graduation, Ding said that the life in PKU enriched his knowledge, broadened his horizon, strengthened his mental power and volitional quality, and helped him get acquainted with many brilliant classmates and teachers, and further enhanced the motivation and sense of mission to win glory for his country. His often listens to the song “Glory and Dream” when competing in the International games, especially when he competed as a representative of China in team events; just as the song goes: “follow the faith that prevails”, Ding felt wonderful when fighting and winning honor for his motherland.
graduation photo of Ding in PKU
After graduating in July, Ding will leave for Tianjin to attend the chess contest in the 13th National Games first, and then make every endeavor to prepare for the individual events and the Candidates Tournament in the 2017 World Cup, in which he tries to make breakthroughs and achieve higher goals.
Written by: Wei Yunqi
Edited by: Fu Wenyun
Source: PKU News (Chinese)
http://pkunews.pku.edu.cn/xwzh/2017-07/06/content_298562.htm
