WHEN SILENCE IS GOLDEN

World Chess C'ship opener quiet for 4hr, broken by applause as Ding seals win

- Kimberly Kwek

In a dimly lit ballroom at the Equarius Hotel Sentosa on Nov 25, a full house of about 400 spectators intently observed chess players Ding Liren and Gukesh Dommaraju's every move.

But, with a one-way glass panel between them and the spectators, the two grandmasters remained oblivious to the crowd's gaze as they pondered each move in the first game of the World Chess Championship.

The scene at Resorts World Sentosa resembles what one may see in a cinema - viewers glued to the action unfolding in front of them and speaking in hushed tones, with volunteers holding signs that read "Silence please".

Among those who have come to catch the spectacle is Indonesian high-schooler Shaun Matthew Cakranata, who flew from Surabaya to Singapore for a few days.

"I've always been a fan of chess," said the 17-year-old, who was introduced to the game by his father when he was three.

"I thought that getting a bit closer to more championships in chess would be a good opportunity to learn and get a much deeper knowledge of chess."