China rested Ding Liren for the Round of 7 match against India at the Chess Olympiad. The decision was taken after Liren lost his previous round match. This avoided the potential face-off between D Gukesh and Liren who are set to take on each other in the World Championship final.

Gukesh, 18, led India to a 3.5-0.5 win over Iran at the Olympiad, showcasing his calm, strategic brilliance and remaining unbeaten in the tournament.

D Gukesh triumphed over Wei Yi in an intense six-hour game at the Chess Olympiad, giving India a crucial victory and maintaining their lead. This win also provides Gukesh with a psychological advantage ahead of his upcoming world title match against Ding Liren.

While Ding Liren chose to sit out the Chess Olympiad Round 7 clash against Gukesh, the world champion did make the most of Tuesday's rest day by playing football in the special exhibition game that was set up by the organisers.

The much-anticipated, exciting battle between Ding Liren and D Gukesh will have to wait a little longer as China have decided to rest the World Champion ahead of the seventh round clash of the ongoing 2024 Chess Olympiad being played in Budapest on Wednesday,