Game 8 : Draw in 45 moves.

On a Nimzo-Indian Defense, Ding launched a strong attack on the h-file, and provoked Nepomniachtchi into playing a blunder (22...Bxe4 ?). Ten moves later, Nepomniachtchi played a bluff move (31...Qxh4) but Ding could not refute it and lost his advantage. The game ended in a drawn Rook endgame.

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Game 9 : Draw in 82 moves.

This is the longest game so far. Ding offered an exchange sacrifice in order to gain connected passed pawns on the a and b files with 26...Be6, but Nepomniachtchi chose a safer option with 27.Bxe6. The game went into a Rook and Knight endgame with an extra pawn for Nepomniachtchi. Ding defended this endgame very precisely and obtained the draw.

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Game 10 : Draw in 45 moves.

Ding had a slight advantage in this game, played with the English Opening, but Nepomniachtchi defended very accurately, and the game ended with bare Kings.

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Game 11 : Draw in 39 moves.

This game was played, again, with the Ruy Lopez. Nepomniatchi got an advantage after the strange 15...c4 played by Ding. However, he chose to enter in a series of exchanges with 19.dxc4, and went in a drawn Rook endgame.

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