| Ding Liren, a Chinese chess player, won the World Chess Championship in 2023, becoming the first Chinese and 17th world chess champion. |
| At 4 years old, Ding Liren began playing chess as a hobby, which later evolved into his passion after his mother took him to a chess club. |
| Ding Liren's name "Liren" was derived from his parents' favorite saying by Confucius. |
| Participating in the Li Chengzhi Cup yearly in his teenage years, Ding Liren credits the tournament for shaping his chess skills and competitiveness. |
| In 2003, Ding Liren achieved a score of 9½/11 points at the U-10 World Youth Championship in Heraklio. |
| In April 2004, Ding Liren participated in the Chinese Men’s Team Championship and earned second place at the U-12 World Youth Championship the same year. |
| Ding Liren was recognized as the 30th grandmaster of China in October 2009, showcasing his prowess in chess. |
| The Chinese Chess Championship was won by Ding Liren in 2009 at 16 years old, making him the youngest male champion at the time. |
| Ding Liren earned a cash prize of $80,000 as the runner-up of the Chess World Cup in September 2017. |
| In 2019, Ding Liren defeated then World Champion Magnus Carlsen in the playoffs to win the Sinquefield Cup. |
| In 2022, Ding Liren garnered $175,540 in cash prize money from participating in 5 major chess tournaments. |
| Winning the World Chess Championship in 2023, Ding Liren received a cash prize of €1.1m ($1.2m). |
| When not playing chess, Ding Liren enjoys listening to Chinese folk music and watching and playing football. |
| Ding Liren doesn't fancy playing video games, finding them boring. |
| He carries a cooking pot on international trips to cook porridge as he prefers homemade meals. |
| Ding Liren's Chinese zodiac animal is the 'monkey.' |
| The Chinese chess grandmaster Wei Yi is Ding Liren's closest friend among fellow chess players. |
| Living a simple lifestyle, Ding Liren donates all his cash prize money to his mother, expressing a preference for simplicity over luxury. |
| In 2018, Ding Liren faced an injury from a bike accident, which led to his withdrawal from the Altibox Norway Chess tournament. |
| A travel enthusiast, Ding Liren has visited numerous countries, particularly enjoying European destinations like Scotland, Czechia, and Norway. |
| Ding Liren's daily routine includes waking up around 9 or 10 a.m., studying chess games, engaging in physical exercise, and enjoying leisure activities like reading, music, and watching football matches. |
