A chess contest that bucked all predictions

The World Championship match is tied 3-3, with Ding Liren's cautious play raising questions, while D Gukesh presses on despite challenges.

There were predictions of a “massacre” and a “bloodbath” leading up to the World Championship match. What we have on our hands after six games though is a 3-3 tied score between reigning world champion Ding Liren and challenger D Gukesh. Ding won only his first classical game in 304 days in this match. Gukesh, too, has only one win in six games so far and the tension is alive in the match.

India's D Gukesh and China’s Ding Liren during the sixth game of the World Chess Championship, in Singapore. (PTI)

We look at a few talking points