Ding Liren: “I hope I can read more when I am young”

New Delhi: Former world chess champion Ding Liren has been withdrawn from the FIDE rating list due to too few matches, but he seems completely calm about the situation. Once at the top of the chess world, he is now taking a step back to enjoy a quieter phase of his career.Din, who lost the world title to Gukesh, said he was happy to be away from the pressure of elite tournaments.

“I’m enjoying where I am right now, I mean, being an inactive player and rarely playing in Elite Invitational tournaments, I’m enjoying this rare downtime,” he said.Instead of intense preparation, he now prefers casual online games. Explaining his current approach, Ding added: “I continue to play online occasionally: it doesn’t require grueling pre-game preparation, just being fully focused on the moment. The process itself is rewarding.”Ding Junhui became world champion in 2023 after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi, but his reign was followed by a decline in form and eventual failure. Despite this, he pushed Gukesh to the final game of the 2024 tournament and then lost.Looking back on the past, Ding shared his thoughts: “I hope that when I was younger, I could learn more, persist academically longer, and not give up halfway. In this way, life may be richer in later years. People will always think about the things they have not done (or the roads they have not traveled).”For now, Ding seems content to stay out of the spotlight and focus on developing a more relaxed relationship with the game.