Sports
D Gukesh Overwhelming Favourite But Ding Liren Can’t Be Ruled Out
Aggression will be the name of the game when Indian youngster Gukesh, already an overwhelming favourite, and seasoned Ding Liren clash in the World championship match even as top players cautioned against writing off the formidable Chinese player. Starting Monday with the first game, the players are slated to play a maximum of 14 Classical games and the one to cross the 7.5 points marker first will be declared the winner in the USD 2.5 million championship. In case of a tied result, the games of shorter duration will be played to determine the winner.
As per history, the defending champion has always been given preference over the challenger but the recent performances by both Gukesh and Liren have turned the tide in the favour for the 18-year old Indian, who is incidentally the youngest ever challenger and has the chance to be the youngest ever world champion.
For the records, Liren has slipped to number 23 in world rankings following a string of below average performances since he won the title in 2023.
Gukesh, on the other hand, has risen to number 5 in world ranking and was simply dominant when he annexed the Candidates’ title that qualified him to take on Liren earlier this April.
Liren’s freefall has been attributed to some mental health issues including depression that kept the Chinese away from competitive chess for the major part of 2023.
His return in early 2024 was marked by below par performances and the Chinese had himself conceded that he might lose the match badly some time back.
However, the match is a different ball game in chess wherein it’s not only the skills but also a contest of characters. Liren has proven once that he holds the aces as far as playing tough matches is concerned by beating Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi last year while Gukesh is still looking for that experience.
According to highest rated Indian and world number four Arjun Erigaise, “Gukesh will crush Liren” but world number one Carlsen believes that Liren at his peak will be a well-rounded player compared to the Indian at his peak.
“Based on the current form Gukesh is a significant favourite ahead but based on peak chess ability it is quite even. So if Ding can regain that form, he has a good chance,” Carlsen had noted at the just concluded Tata Steel rapid and blitz tournament.
The opening ceremony of the match will be held late on Saturday and the first game will begin at 2:30 PM on Monday. There will be a rest day after every third game.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Sports
Mikel Arteta Grapples With Arsenal’s Defensive Injury Crisis Ahead Of Monaco Game
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta© AFP
Mikel Arteta praised his Arsenal team for how they have coped with a punishing defensive injury crisis as he prepares his men to face Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Gunners are seventh in the new-look Champions League format after three wins in five matches — one place above the Ligue 1 team. But Arteta, whose men are also third in the Premier League, is juggling a lengthy injury list. Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori, who both missed Sunday’s draw at Fulham, were absent from Tuesday’s training session, along with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey. Right-backs Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still absent with knee injuries.
“We have to manage a lot of the players, so they’re probably not going to be fit for tomorrow and are a doubt,” Arteta said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“I still have 24 hours to make those decisions and hopefully the right ones…. In the ideal scenario, we have to be in charge to make those decisions because it’s forcing us to make it for the wrong reasons, but as well, we need to accept the reality and move forwards.”
Arsenal stumbled at the start of last month but won four straight games in all competitions before Sunday’s 1-1 draw.
But the Spaniard said he was happy with how his men were coping in the absence of a settled back line.
“The good news is that the team still reacts and plays in the way that we want and becomes so dominant, and we want to do that regardless of who plays and I think that belief is within the team and it’s really positive,” he said.
Arteta said there was an opportunity for defender Kieran Tierney to return — the 27-year-old Scotland international has yet to feature this season.
“He is ready and he’s training really well and he’s going to have an opportunity for sure with the way the team is looking at the moment,” he said.
“It’s for that reason and because he’s earned it as well with the way he’s behaved and the way he’s been with us.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Sports
Two Plead Guilty In Formula One Legend Michael Schumacher Blackmail Plot
File photo of Michael Schumacher© AFP
A father and son pleaded guilty in a German court Tuesday over a plot to blackmail the family of Michael Schumacher by threatening to release images of the Formula One legend. The men from Wuppertal in western Germany made the admission at the opening of their trial in the city, a court spokeswoman said. The men, identified only as Yilmaz T. and Daniel L., allegedly threatened to release private photos and videos of Schumacher and demanded 15 million euros ($15.7 million) from his family. These purportedly included images of the seven-time Formula One champion before and after a 2013 skiing accident, which left him with a serious brain injury.
Schumacher, 55, has not been seen in public since.
A third man, who is accused of supplying the photos to the other two defendants, also went on trial for his alleged part in the plot but made no admission of guilt.
The man, identified as Markus F. from the western German town of Wuelfrath, worked as a security guard at the Schumacher family residence in Switzerland until 2021.
Prosecutors accuse the suspect of selling images of Schumacher, acquired during his work, to the father and son for a “five-figure” sum.
According to prosecutors, Yilmaz T. rang an employee of the Schumacher family several times in June this year to demand money.
The employee demanded proof of the images, which was delivered from a new email address, said to have been set up by the suspected blackmailer’s son.
The court has scheduled a total of five hearings until mid-February.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Ex-RCB Fast Bowler Handed Major Punishment By ICC For ‘Abusing Fourth Umpire’
File photo of Alzarri Joseph© AFP
West Indies bowler Alzarri Joseph has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct by using offensive language in an exchange with a match official, during the first ODI match against Bangladesh, which the hosts won by five wickets. Joseph was found to have breached Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “the use of an audible obscenity.” In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Joseph’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period, the ICC informed in a statement on Tuesday, minutes ahead of the start of the second ODI.
The incident occurred on Sunday before the start of play when Joseph used offensive and abusive language in an exchange with the fourth umpire after the umpire had asked Joseph to refrain from stepping onto the pitch with his spikes on.
Joseph admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
On-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Leslie Reifer, third umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Gregory Brathwaite levelled the charge.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
Joseph went on to claim 2-67 and with Romario Shepherd, who claimed 3-51, helped West Indies restrict Bangladesh 294/6, propped up by skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz (74), Tanzid Hasan (60), Mahmudullah (50 not out) and Jaker Ali (48).
West Indies rode on an 80-ball 113 by Sherfane Rutherford and an 86 by skipper Shai Hope to reach 295/5 with 14 balls to spare.
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