Ding Liren wins FIDE World Chess Championship 2023 to become China's 1st male world champion

Ding Liren of China won the FIDE World Chess Championship 2023 after beating Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia at the St Regis Astana Hotel in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sunday.

Ding's victory set another cornerstone for Chinese chess players by becoming the country's first male world champion. In 1991, Xie Jun defeated Maia Chiburdanidze of Georgia to win the women's world title for the first time. In 1998, the Chinese women's team won the Chess Olympiad title for the first time. In 2014, the Chinese men's team won the Chess Olympiad gold medal for the first time.

Sunday's competition between Ding and Nepomniachtchi reached a tie after 14 classical games. The two then began a four-rapid-game playoff. All of the first three games ended as draws before Ding defeated Nepomniachtchi in the fourth game to win the match.