Ding Liren, ranked number three in the world by FIDE (2789), took home the World Chess Champion-ship title to China for the first time ever on the last day of April, to the satisfaction of over one billion Chinese residents. China is already a notable world power, but the crowning of Ding with the title will raise its intellectual profile. Ding is now the figurehead of world chess and is the 17th world champion in 150 years. Everything centres around him. Or does it?
Consider Norway’s Magnus Carlsen. FIDE rated at 2853, the highest ever for a player in classical chess, he has been world champion since 2013, and is absolutely, the very best player on the international circuit. He has not retired from chess. In fact, Carlsen wins almost every tournament he enters.