World Chess Championship 2023 Game 8 live: Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Ding Liren

Vladimir Kramnik, the last man from Russia to become the World Chess Champion, plays in an exhibition event in Astana. (FIDE/Anna Shtourman)
World Chess Championship 2023: An ace up Nepo’s sleeve is possibly former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik
As the World Chess Championship heats up, with Game 7 becoming the fourth game in a row to yield a result, Vladimir Kramnik, the last man from Russia to become the World Chess Champion, emerged from the shadows. Allegedly!
In the world of chess, rumour has it that Kramnik is part of Ian Nepomniachtchi’s team as the Russian attempts to wrest away the most coveted crown in the sport from China’s Ding Liren. Of course, the omerta that surrounds contenders’ teams at the World Championship means we are unlikely to find out immediately if this is true.
But the rumour is strong — and intriguing — enough for it to find mention in FIDE’s official commentary, British chess master Leonard Barden’s column, the C-Squared Podcast (which is co-hosted Fabiano Caruana), GM Gata Kamsky’s podcast and the Chess.com’s live analysis (helmed GM Anish Giri). [Read More] More from World Chess Championship
Pravin Thipsay writes: Strange yet spectacular Game 7 shows this is a ‘classic’ World Championship
World Chess Championship: Of a thrilling showdown and the meaning of happiness
World Chess Championship: Ian Nepomniachtchi’s glare, Magnus Carlsen’s shadow and freezing Astana