Russian neutral Ian Nepomniachtchi, left, and China's Ding Liren, right, are tied on 6.5 points each going into the 14th game of the FIDE World Championship Match ©FIDE/Anna Shtourman

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Championship Match in Astana is set for a winner-takes-all 14th game, after a draw between Russian player Ian Nepomniachtchi and China's Ding Liren.

Ding levelled the match yesterday after a collapse from Nepomniachtchi, who is playing under the FIDE flag at the St Regis Hotel in Kazakhstan's capital because of the war in Ukraine.

The Chinese player entered the middlegame in the stronger position with the black pieces, but a strange move to place his rook in the centre flipped the momentum.

Ding was under time pressure, and opted to simplify by sacrificing a rook for a bishop and a pawn and exchanging queens.

Nepomniachtchi pressed for a win during the endgame, but Ding held out with some precise defending.

China's Ding Liren was in the ascendancy going into midgame, but hung on for a draw ©FIDE/Anna Shtourman
China's Ding Liren was in the ascendancy going into midgame, but hung on for a draw ©FIDE/Anna Shtourman

The game ended in a draw after a little more than three hours play and 39 moves, leaving both players tied on 6.5 points.

Nepomniachtchi said afterwards he "didn't really like his position" and admitted he went into a "passive defence", while Ding said it would be "both an advantage and a disadvantage" to play with white in the 14th and final game.

Tomorrow is a rest day, but if either player can win on Saturday (April 29) they will be crowned world champion.

Tiebreaks with faster time controls would be required should it end in a draw.