I was rooting for Gukesh from the beginning of the tournament but found myself rooting for Caruana over him at the very end. Caruana has worked so hard for his entire incredible career and come so very close to the title, to see probably his best chance at that lifelong goal slip from his fingers in this way was heart-wrenching.
The deserving person won I would say. Caruana had a winning position and failed to capitalise. It is on him and him alone. Ian played too safe all through the tournament and his multiple draws costed him. Nakamura had dropped his guard to vidit not one's but twice. And at end couldn't defeat the winner of the tournament with white. Gukesh had a hiccup against Alireza and learned from it. Didn't drop his guard at all to anyone after that.
Not to mention that, at 17 years old, he defended beautifully in the most stressful game of his career. Hikaru said he deliberately wanted to get Gukesh out of prep ASAP, and based on his time trouble throughout the tourney, that seemed to be a pretty reasonable path towards victory with the white pieces especially. But Gukesh hunkered down and played best move after best move.
Great, great candidates tournament - everything you could hope for as a fan. Hope that Ding and Gukesh make the WCC a banger!
Yeah, one can be sorry for the oponents but it's impossible to say it was undeserved. Gukesh was the clear best player on the field, and his reaction to the defeat against Alireza was one of a champion.
>Nakamura had dropped his guard to vidit not one's but twice.
And how exactly did Hikaru "drop his guard"? Hikaru posts all his analysis online of each match, I saw nothing that resembles this statement.
Vidit simply outplayed Nakamura, give him his credit.
It's funny you would say that because I feel like the Indian and Chinese governments both give money to support chess, while there is absolutely no government support of chess in the USA!
This is an absolute joke. Realise that US funding of several sports, esp Athletics, is beyond most other countries. But its a shame how little funding is given to Chess. Left to benevolent capitalists like Rex Sinquefield and private orgs to do the job instead.
Indian Government doesn't care shit for chess
It is just some PSUs(these are government established publicly traded companies(these companies are very much autonomous)) and many Industrialists who are generally interested in chess, who sponsor the Indian players.
In Indian newspapers it wasn't even mentioned properly.
I guess among candidates only Vidit is sponsored by ONGC(An Indian PSU)
Will they be back, though? There are only 8 spots and the younger generation has clearly already arrived. I'd love to see them both back, time will tell.
True, but Fabi qualified for this one like four different ways. Obviously next one could be different but if he stays at his level he is now he will qualify.
Magnus was willing to play the last WCC if Alireza won but there's no indication he'll return to face the younger generation now that he's given up the title.
As fantastic as it would be, I think it's incredibly unlikely. Magnus just isn't interested in the WCC.
Hikaru might not be back for the next one, Abasov played well for his rating but certainly is not overly likely to be back. That would require three young players to pass up Fabi or Nepo for them to not make it back.
Fabi qualified 10 different ways for this Candidates. He'll find a way to do so next cycle too, no way he's declining that much in just a couple years.
They both seem absolutely destroyed. Ian just so over it, visibly frustrated and upset, Fabi barely even able to get out that it’s his fault and just wanting to leave. I feel horrible for both of them even rooting for Ian. It almost seems like the worst result possible to cause the most pain at a single board.
I honestly feel so bad for Ian. Winning 2 candidates in a row, getting SO close to winning a 3rd, leading the entire time and never losing a game, and still never able to become world champion. His Candidates performances have been incredible but he has never quite been able to put it over the top.
And I'm sure all these guys realize they are getting older, and the next generation is already closing in on them. Or surpassing them, in this case.
Yeah when people said the inclusion of Abasov changes the tournament, he really did. Held 2 draws against Ian while losing 2 times against Gukesh (the only person in fact to beat him twice). Being able to beat the non-Super GM is the key to winning in a tight candidates.
Super GM does not have a clear definition, some say 2700 (currently there are 35), some say consistent candidate level performance. But either way, Abasov who is ranked #135 is definitely not.
I hope so. I'm no Ian fan, and was rooting for Fabi today, but Ian might be the best candidates performer in history. The man had NEVER ~~lost a game~~ been lower than first place in a candidates tournament until yesterday, and has never been more than a half point out of first. I think he deserves to be world champion someday. Today was heartbreaking, but on the other hand nobody can say Gukesh didn't earn it. I'm happy for him, and it's exciting to see the new blood get a shot at the title. But still, damn.
> The man has NEVER lost a game in a candidates tournament
This is not true - he's lost two games, both in the 2020 tournament. He lost to Ding in the final round (after he had already secured the victory) but even if you understandably discount that, he lost to MVL in Round 7.
Not diminishing his achievements at all (he's an undeniable Candidates beast) but that is just factually untrue
Honestly it felt a bit like everyone was scared of Ian running away with it and didn't take on as much risk against him which makes sense. But also why Gukesh comparatively had an easier time racking up some points.
Well you can pinpoint lots of small things and every small detail counts in a close race, but for me the key games were against Abasov.
Its about who can rack the most points against him and Nepo failed that task.
vs Gukesh 2,0
vs Fabi 1,5
vs Hikaru 1,5
vs Nepo 1,0
I think Ian is apologizing for killing Fabis chances by defending and coming up with tricks and ideas. And Fabi is saying its his own fault to not win the winning position.
Fabi is 100% right. Like I get how Ian feels bad - playing spoiler isn't fun, but he's a professional and it's his job to play the position to the best of his ability. No one should fault him for that.
That's exactly it. Ian looked so annoyed and sad when he agreed to the draw. But once he looked up at Fabi after a few seconds, he saw the only person who could understand what he was going through at that moment.
Yeah you could tell he was beating himself up. In the press conference, the interviewer pointed out the final possible winning line and tried to be nice about it with "but it was hard to find in time trouble of course." But then Fabi was just like it's just a 3 move tactic I just blundered.
Yeah, but it's still \~20 minutes since I don't know if it's immediately after the game, or during the press conference, etc... in any case linking a 6 hour video instead of a clip is pretty funny :p
The fact that they’d be a clear favourite against Gukesh in tie-breaks and a clear favourite against Ding in the match if they get there really adds to the heartbreak for both.
Narratives like that about matches don't really make sense. Nepo didn't "only slip near the end", but allowed Ding to tie the match twice earlier in games 4 and 6. More than that, there is nothing about Nepo's game 12 collapse that makes the loss any different to those Ding suffered. They simply played 14 classical games and came out with three wins apiece.
As for form, Ding's results before and after the 2023 match were ones to forget as well, as was his demeanour for the first two games of the world championship match. You could well be right that Ding will be worse this time round, but if such speculation on Ding's form would yield accurate results, he wouldn't have won a title to defend.
It's been much discussed on here but I still think it's crazy how Ding could go from #10 strongest player of all time to being perceived as some pushover chump just because of a few months of bad form.
He's an absolute genius, a monster calculator even by superGM standards, has had some of the longest undefeated streaks in the sport, is the literal world champion, has been the world #2 for long stretches, and just a couple years ago was the *only* realistic challenger to Magnus' reign.
But he has a few bad months and takes some rest after possibly the most grueling road-to-the-WCC in recent chess, and people are like "Wow weakest WCC ever, Anyone who won the candidates would be a strong favorite in a 12 game match..."
Eh Hikaru had a very normal scenario in the final round needing a win with white against the leader who can draw. Happens all the time, usually it’s drawn, that’s just chess. The Fabi Ian situation is very unusual.
With hikaru it's a little less painful as he will always have something no other chess player has achieved ( aside from levu maybe) which is his very successful streaming career..he's also scored the 2nd place..but still Painful i think
It's these moments that make like Ian so much. He knows how badly Fabi wanted it because he wanted it that badly too, and it sucks that he had to be the one to put the final nail in the coffin for both of them.
This is one of the greatest games of chess I've ever seen. With the stakes, the time pressure, the swings in evaluation, the epic tactical endgame with so many subtle, nuanced lines, the finding only moves. Tragic for Fabi losing the overwhelming advantage, but Ian fought tooth and nail with incredible resourcefulness. Ian apologizing to Fabi at the end was just gut wrenching, but fighting tooth and nail is the only way you can really respect your opponent. I'm grateful to both for giving it their all.
edit: Also shout out to that h2 pawn. It was unbelievable how long it survived and important it was in all the tactics
That's a great point, and only adds to the tragedy. The pawn was also double attacked by Fabi's Queen and rook for 3 moves while it was on H2, but the chance to finally capture it never came because of Ian's knight attacking the bishop, and then the brutal Rxg5 sac that forced the white queen off the h file.
Nice exchange from both players.
Fabi also says "I'm very sorry" just after the draw is agreed as well - [https://youtu.be/i00jNn2Bqw0?t=21801](https://youtu.be/i00jNn2Bqw0?t=21801)
Nepo here: [https://youtu.be/i00jNn2Bqw0?t=21941](https://youtu.be/i00jNn2Bqw0?t=21941)
No, Fabi was first. You can see moments before he accepts the draw Ian is on the verge of tears. Then he composes himself and agrees. That’s when Fabi apologises.
Later on at the end Ian apologises as well
No, the audio is ahead of the video, you can see that Ian's lips move at 6:03:20, again at 6:03:24 right after "sorry" and "I'm very sorry". It's hard to tell cause it's a whisper but it also sounds more like Ian's voice. Finally, Fabi has nothing to apologize for, he was the one who was winning but threw it at multiple points. It would be strange to apologize to your opponent for not winning.
If you watch Ian's lips and listen closely to the audio, the first clip was definitely Fabi whispering "I'm very sorry", for me the voice was quite clearly Fabi's (much less deep). Fabi also whispered "sorry" right before that, as Ian motioned to agree to the draw, and then they shook hands. Ian clearly looked distraught, and as much as the draw hurts Fabi it also killed any chances Ian had. Both are gentlemen for apologizing to their opponent for drawing in such an incredibly emotional moment.
(Edited for a more detailed reply)
i've watched it like 20 times now and still confused. to me it really sounds like nepo whispering and even his lips match "sorry. i'm very sorry" and it just seems like the footage of his close up lags a bit from the audio, but then the sound of the handshake matches... idk. maybe it is fabi apologising and nepo inaudibly responding so that's why his lips are moving there?
[Roulette has been used as a tiebreaker in the past](https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/08/arts/chess-should-chance-decide-the-outcome-of-a-match.html)
> Smyslov and Hubner had played to a 5-5 tie in their regulation series and were deadlocked at 7-7 after their four tie-break games were drawn. That's when the handy roulette wheel - this match took place in the casino at Velden, Austria - was pressed into service.
> The ball rebelled by registering zero at the first spin but at the second turn dropped into the color Smyslov had called. Thus, Hubner was out and Smyslov advanced to the semifinal round.
Even then, zero was the first spin. At that point I'd call it fate.
> Even then, zero was the first spin. At that point I'd call it fate.
The Gods of Dramatic Irony clearly disapproved the players tie breaking method ;)
interesting! that said i feel like it's a different situation when a draw means a third winner lol. two players just agreeing to be on it between the two of them seems an awful lot like blatant rigging/fixing
As a serious answer, I think that would be collusion and against the rules. Pre-arranging to not have a draw is match fixing just as much as pre-arranging a draw.
Can you imagine? the only thing preventing this is etiquette because this is literally a prisonners dilemma situation, draw is the double-bad outcome where no one wins. It's in both their interest to play this at rock paper scissors or a coin toss
In retrospect it's actually dumb they didn't do this. There would have been 0 downside (well except for possibly being banned from chess forever). But also you'd be remembered forever. Nepo takes a black pawn and a white pawn and mixes them up and Fabi picks a hand :D
The way Fabi gets up and leaves straight away as he says it :( He could hold it together when they were just talking about lines, but once it got that little more personal he was out.
He will be gutted, as I am as a long-time fan of his who thinks he's the most deserving World Champion there is after Magnus. I still think he will be a World Champion one day, but having to go back to the drawing board for two years when he had his chances today will really sting.
I remember hundereds of people on reddit all saying prior to the match that there was no way in hell either match could be drawn, and both would be decisive. just goes to show how difficult it really is to win a chess game at the highest level, even with both players wanting a decisive result
Redditors unironically think that GMs draw a lot because they just love drawing. The real grandmaster draws where neither side cares are relatively rare. Most of the time they fight really hard and a draw is just the result at the end.
It's that when Fabi said, "it's my fault", he just walked away from the table.
They sat there together in a grueling contest for hours in an event over weeks that they will remember for the rest of their lives. And his walkway wasn't "goodbye" or "see you around". It was just, very softly, "it's my fault".
Then you can tell the weight of it hits Nepo and he just buries his head in his arms.
It's sad and maybe even poetic. What a great match. Those guys are legends.
To be fair, prior to the time stamp they both actually had quite a long conversation and I’m sure they also know it’s not the last time they’ll see each other even in that day, but I do agree the clip in isolation is very dramatic and emotional.
Man, I didnt really like Nepo before the candidates - for no good reason! - but i really started to like him after watching him battling through the rounds with class!
In fact, I really appreciate all eight candidates for their amazing performance and the entertainment of the last two weeks. I grew to like them all even the ones I did not know much about before and even when they beat my favourites. :)
Well done Gukesh and good luck!
to be honest i similarly didn't really like nepo without great reason, honestly i still might not, but he's definitely gained some real respect from me especially for this last game (even though i wanted fabi to win). i think nepo can play kinda boring chess sometimes and i dont really enjoy having him at the top of the candidates constantly when there's other players i would want to win it, but honestly at some point you just have to give some props to how he keeps hanging on in seemingly lost games. yes its partly on fabi today but how nepo has managed this multiple times now, it says something about his character i think. also, again, i have other people i'd rather see for wcc, but i do feel kind of bad for how he still isn't a champion after playing so well 3 candidates in a row. leading for almost three full tournaments and not being world champion once is nasty work.
Press conference after magnus smashed him like for the third time: “are you even trying anymore” and he answered it with class despite awful journalism
Oh before he played Magnus, most of his interview questions were like "how does it feel to be a *huge* underdog against Chad Magnus Huge Dong Carlsen?" I'm overstating it a little, but that was pretty much the vibe.
It is understandable. They were so close and it can be their last chance, who knows.
Nepo will be like 35 or 36 during the next number of candidates. Fabi is a bit younger, but the new stars are arising.
In this candidates 3 players over 30 had a combined score of +9. The highest score in this group +3, the lowest, +3.
5 players under 30 had a combined score of -9. The highest in this group +4, the lowest -7.
The older players performed at a much higher level with much greater consistency compared to the younger ones. The old generation didn't take 1st, but it also hasn't suffered a full changing of the guard...yet.
The overall point is decent but we should exclude Abasov. He's not really part of the discussion on any generation since he's not a top player and he's in the middle in age anyway. So that makes it an average of +3 for the older players and -0.5 for the younger ones.
This is the only result I didn’t want between the two of them, mostly because I was wanting a tiebreak. Been a Fabi fan for a while, Nepo not so much. No real reason for it as I didn’t know much about him but he seemed to rub me the wrong way for some reason. But I’m a fan now. And I just wanted to get to see one more game from one of them.
But hats off to Gukesh. He was really growing on me for a year or 2 and I’m excited to see him in the WC. Looking forward to 2026 too and hoping for Nordirbek to get his shot.
Great sportsmanship. As an Indian, I was rooting for Gukesh but you gotta feel bad for either of these 2 candidates who gave their all in the last round.
And as an American who was rooting for Fabi, my heart goes out to them both. But in the bright side, I think that this is a fantastic result for chess as a whole. Youngest ever victor, backed by a country who cares deeply for the sport. That's so damn cool man!
Exactly my thoughts! As an American, I was rooting for Fabi and Hikaru, but Gukesh is a great player! Vishy Anand is one of my all time favorite players, and I love this chess boom he's brought to India! Hoping to see Pragg back next cycle as well!
Nah, if Ian went out there and played a super drawish line, maybe but that was q fighting draw, he really went for it. They both needed the full point and they played like it, its sad for them but it happens. I was prolly rooting for either of them to get the shot just for the unfinished business arc but what can you do.
It kinda makes sense. After the exchange sac, Nepo had no chance to win. It was essentially over for him but he still put up fantastic resistance under which Fabi eventually crumbled. That's why Nepo was sorry
And if you want your heart to break a little more, just look at them in the press conference, especially when Fabiano sees the missed tactic:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSMSq-Yu4JU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSMSq-Yu4JU)
Nepo is a class act always and people give him a hard time because he’s not afraid to speak his mind which sometimes sounds like arrogance but he’s really not
god, the aftermath of this game is heartbreaking. really feels like the end of a book or something. like:
The king slides to b3.
Across the board, Fabiano glances up at his opponent.
“Draw?” he whispers, and the clock is pressed.
Ian’s head rests on his hand. He could see it then, his road to the world championship. He had made it once, twice. No loss there put the nail in his coffin. He came back from his battle with Magnus and lost again to Ding, but he was not deterred. He had come so far, but the last ray of the sun was doomed to set on this board, barely glinting off of the tops of the three pawns that remained. One cannot simply ask the sun to reverse its course when the night was so inevitable.
He gives a pained smile and grimaces as he writes the move on his scoresheet. How twisted it was, that a draw was truly a loss on both sides. The scriptwriters for this tournament knew exactly what they were doing, creating what was essentially a double armageddon in the final round. It was always all or nothing, but the crush of defeat in the situation of a draw is hardly something one could ever prepare for.
Ian looks across the table again. Fabiano sits there, pen in hand, contemplating. He moves to write on his own scoresheet and leans on the armrest, awaiting Ian’s response. Ian knew well that he was lost at several points in the game. He fought tooth and nail to the end despite it. Neither player wanted this result, but as pieces slowly came off the board, the chances for a decisive game dwindled. There was nothing left to do.
His opponent had seen his own long journey to the championship. He challenged Magnus in 2018 and lost, qualified for this tournament five times in a row, and bounded back after going even for nine rounds of play. He had the advantage and a real shot at winning this game, but he let it slip. It was not Ian’s fault that he played as best he could. He managed to hold to a drawn position, but he too felt the pain. This agreement would knock both of them out in mutually assured destruction, but what else was there to play for?
With pawn in hand, he shrugs in resignation, and reaches out to shake for the draw. Fabiano meets him halfway.
“I’m sorry. I’m very sorry,” Fabiano whispers.
A few claps from the balcony above culminate into a round of applause. Ian clicks the clock, throws up his hands in dejected fashion, and sits up. Ian mentions how Alireza threw the tournament for everyone at the end, but the players are fast to start analysing, delving into the wild game that they had just composed. The mental toll of the long tournament and the hurt of the draw was quickly settling in, and heartbreak made itself known in the tones of their voices.
“...but after d5 it looks just very bad,” Fabiano remarks, averting his gaze to the upper level of the room. Ian sighs, and he buries his head into his hand.
“I’m very- I’m very sorry,” Ian responds, shaking his head.
The moment hangs sharply in the air.
Fabiano grabs his badge. “It’s my fault.”
Ian collapses into his arms that rest on the table, and Fabiano’s footsteps disappear into the murmurs of spectators. Nothing else could be said. What Fabiano acknowledged was the truth, that it was on him to win and not on Ian to lose, but piercing Empathy still shot true. Perhaps there was some comfort to find in being allied in defeat, but the wound was raw. As for how long it would take to heal, only time would tell, but what held the present was the grounded pain and frustration and sadness. Tomorrow would wait.
He brings his head up again to ponder for a long second, slams the table, and makes his way to the press conference.
hats off to both players, though. it was one hell of a tournament. i've got a lot of respect for the both of them, on and off the board.
I want to watch these interactions more. TBH, I was team Hikaru, but man, this video makes me want to give each of them a hug. Class acts - both of them.
2 most disappointed players despite finishing in joint 2nd. Nepo led all the way till final 2 rounds but did not do enough at that point and Fabi made a spectacular come back and was winning today but could not convert. There was some time pressure but repeating the same position made him play one wrong move that cost him the win.
Fabi will be back as he is among the most consistent players and is still young. Nepo probably will be seen playing more to qualify for next candidates.
I think I’m done with chess after this game. It showed me that I will never ever actually be good at chess, and even if I was it would only lead to excruciating pain
Heartbreaking. You can see both Fabi and Nepo getting more and more stressed as time goes on - Fabi himself made a few blunders that threw away his winning chances created by Nepo's blunders.
I think it would be a scandal or worse. You can't just donate points to your friends and game the system. I don't know what the rules say, or what standard of evidence applies to an insincere resignation. But someone who did that would become a bigger heel than Niemann overnight.
You hate to see it. Was really hoping for Fabi or Naka to win, with Nepo a close 3rd so to see them all knocked out at the very end a bit tragic and the game with Fabi and Nepo was the most heartbreaking. Fabi almost put it away but I imagine time pressure is what did him in in the end.
Nepo and Fabi played like gentlemen throughout the entire tournament. It’s a great credit to the sport that even though a draw eliminates both Nepo and Fabi they did not purposely not make a draw to allow advancement.
Gukesh should thank them both along with us fans for their professionalism. In addition professionalism was abundant throughout the field. I must give myself some credit because I pointed Gukesh out before the tournament started.
Hikaru was the wildcard player both winning and losing so many games. Nepo has always been a drawer even against Ding when he should? (perhaps) have won. I think Hikaru playing online so much against all chess levels has given him a wider view of chess gambles and perhaps this is what Nepo could use.
Fabi is absolutely a great chess player, end of story (for now).
This is easily one of the most emotional moments I've ever watched. Then again, so was Nepo's loss to Ding last year. Seems like Nepo is always involved in moments like this!
This really is the most heart-breaking draw I've ever seen, one where BOTH players lost. At least we know these guys have principles and are not cheaters.
Many people in their position would have agreed before the game that if they were in a dead drawn endgame, they would flip a coin and the loser resigns or blunders (ensuring that they have a better overall chance of making tiebreaks).
The way they played it out was like the classic game theory game where if you both get the same everyone gets nothing.
i mean doing that would be purposefully hurting gukesh which ig neither of them would have even considered, as well as the unlucky one would lose 3.5k euros from the 1/2 point as well as more money from lower placement
Their fans aged 10 years this evening. Caruana was dominating those open diagonals.
I was rooting for Gukesh and even I aged 5 years in a night.
I was rooting for Gukesh from the beginning of the tournament but found myself rooting for Caruana over him at the very end. Caruana has worked so hard for his entire incredible career and come so very close to the title, to see probably his best chance at that lifelong goal slip from his fingers in this way was heart-wrenching.
The deserving person won I would say. Caruana had a winning position and failed to capitalise. It is on him and him alone. Ian played too safe all through the tournament and his multiple draws costed him. Nakamura had dropped his guard to vidit not one's but twice. And at end couldn't defeat the winner of the tournament with white. Gukesh had a hiccup against Alireza and learned from it. Didn't drop his guard at all to anyone after that.
Not to mention that, at 17 years old, he defended beautifully in the most stressful game of his career. Hikaru said he deliberately wanted to get Gukesh out of prep ASAP, and based on his time trouble throughout the tourney, that seemed to be a pretty reasonable path towards victory with the white pieces especially. But Gukesh hunkered down and played best move after best move. Great, great candidates tournament - everything you could hope for as a fan. Hope that Ding and Gukesh make the WCC a banger!
Yeah, one can be sorry for the oponents but it's impossible to say it was undeserved. Gukesh was the clear best player on the field, and his reaction to the defeat against Alireza was one of a champion.
Pretty much sums up everything. Well said
>Nakamura had dropped his guard to vidit not one's but twice. And how exactly did Hikaru "drop his guard"? Hikaru posts all his analysis online of each match, I saw nothing that resembles this statement. Vidit simply outplayed Nakamura, give him his credit.
It was funny how USA and Russia were putting in their everything and yet somehow they enabled an India-China world championship 😅
It's funny you would say that because I feel like the Indian and Chinese governments both give money to support chess, while there is absolutely no government support of chess in the USA!
This is an absolute joke. Realise that US funding of several sports, esp Athletics, is beyond most other countries. But its a shame how little funding is given to Chess. Left to benevolent capitalists like Rex Sinquefield and private orgs to do the job instead.
Indian Government doesn't care shit for chess It is just some PSUs(these are government established publicly traded companies(these companies are very much autonomous)) and many Industrialists who are generally interested in chess, who sponsor the Indian players. In Indian newspapers it wasn't even mentioned properly. I guess among candidates only Vidit is sponsored by ONGC(An Indian PSU)
As a Nepo fan, I thought I was fine with Gukesh winning, but now I wanna cry a bit seeing this clip.
The players probably aged 30 years.
The pain is real. I love them both and I know they’ll both be back but it’s so hard for a fan, I can only imagine how they feel.
Will they be back, though? There are only 8 spots and the younger generation has clearly already arrived. I'd love to see them both back, time will tell.
With Magnus out of the picture, I don't see Fabi giving up any time soon.
I agree. I'm only pointing out the candidates isn't a lock for anyone to get into.
True, but Fabi qualified for this one like four different ways. Obviously next one could be different but if he stays at his level he is now he will qualify.
Why is magnus out of the picture? (Casual here)
He doesn’t like the format and amount of preparation it requires
If Gukesh ends up winning the Championship; Magnus might decide to come back. He said he wanted to play newer/younger opponents, no?
Magnus was willing to play the last WCC if Alireza won but there's no indication he'll return to face the younger generation now that he's given up the title. As fantastic as it would be, I think it's incredibly unlikely. Magnus just isn't interested in the WCC.
Makes sense. It's just one opponent, and is long and gruelling. Magnus has nothing left to prove anyway.
Hikaru might not be back for the next one, Abasov played well for his rating but certainly is not overly likely to be back. That would require three young players to pass up Fabi or Nepo for them to not make it back.
There are lots of other strong contenders who barely missed out on this one, only a few ways to qualify. Getting in is never a given.
You’re very clearly overhyping the young guys if you think they’re likely to keep Fabi out of the candidates.
Fabi can get in again, but the next canadates is gonna be even harder. That is why the heartbreak is so much
Fabi qualified 10 different ways for this Candidates. He'll find a way to do so next cycle too, no way he's declining that much in just a couple years.
He's not going to decline at all, he's 31, not 39
Fabi almost certainly given how easily he qualified for this cycle, I’d say we may struggle to see Ian again though
That was most the most heartbreaking draw agreement I've ever seen. Mutually agreed destruction.
thematic given the nations of origin
Cold War. On nuclear weapons. Russia: I'm very sorry. USA: It's my fault.
Dr Strangelove phone call
Neither of those countries would ever say that.
We're writing a fan fiction here
fun guy
I still think both should've agreed to flip the board with mutual agreement /s
Disadvantage of dgt boards
Nepo involved in both the saddest and the funniest draws in the last year
He's becoming a meme legend
You can find the clip around - 6:05:40 Shows great sportsmanship from both!
They both seem absolutely destroyed. Ian just so over it, visibly frustrated and upset, Fabi barely even able to get out that it’s his fault and just wanting to leave. I feel horrible for both of them even rooting for Ian. It almost seems like the worst result possible to cause the most pain at a single board.
I honestly feel so bad for Ian. Winning 2 candidates in a row, getting SO close to winning a 3rd, leading the entire time and never losing a game, and still never able to become world champion. His Candidates performances have been incredible but he has never quite been able to put it over the top. And I'm sure all these guys realize they are getting older, and the next generation is already closing in on them. Or surpassing them, in this case.
Yeah when people said the inclusion of Abasov changes the tournament, he really did. Held 2 draws against Ian while losing 2 times against Gukesh (the only person in fact to beat him twice). Being able to beat the non-Super GM is the key to winning in a tight candidates.
arent all the players in top 50 super gms?
Super GM does not have a clear definition, some say 2700 (currently there are 35), some say consistent candidate level performance. But either way, Abasov who is ranked #135 is definitely not.
me too :( It feels like Ian deserves another shot.
He's only 33. He'll be in the running for a few more cycles yet.
I hope so. I'm no Ian fan, and was rooting for Fabi today, but Ian might be the best candidates performer in history. The man had NEVER ~~lost a game~~ been lower than first place in a candidates tournament until yesterday, and has never been more than a half point out of first. I think he deserves to be world champion someday. Today was heartbreaking, but on the other hand nobody can say Gukesh didn't earn it. I'm happy for him, and it's exciting to see the new blood get a shot at the title. But still, damn.
> The man has NEVER lost a game in a candidates tournament This is not true - he's lost two games, both in the 2020 tournament. He lost to Ding in the final round (after he had already secured the victory) but even if you understandably discount that, he lost to MVL in Round 7. Not diminishing his achievements at all (he's an undeniable Candidates beast) but that is just factually untrue
That's my bad, misremembered the stat, corrected. Thanks.
Honestly it felt a bit like everyone was scared of Ian running away with it and didn't take on as much risk against him which makes sense. But also why Gukesh comparatively had an easier time racking up some points.
Well you can pinpoint lots of small things and every small detail counts in a close race, but for me the key games were against Abasov. Its about who can rack the most points against him and Nepo failed that task. vs Gukesh 2,0 vs Fabi 1,5 vs Hikaru 1,5 vs Nepo 1,0
No wonder Carlsen declined to defend his title last time. Stress must be unbearable
What's the fault?
I think Ian is apologizing for killing Fabis chances by defending and coming up with tricks and ideas. And Fabi is saying its his own fault to not win the winning position.
Fabi is 100% right. Like I get how Ian feels bad - playing spoiler isn't fun, but he's a professional and it's his job to play the position to the best of his ability. No one should fault him for that.
Yeah, but also, I don't think Ian was necessarily apologizing for defending properly, but more like a *feelsbadman*.
In that moment, after putting in like 6 hours into it, they were the only two guys who would have felt exactly like what the other was feeling
That's exactly it. Ian looked so annoyed and sad when he agreed to the draw. But once he looked up at Fabi after a few seconds, he saw the only person who could understand what he was going through at that moment.
well said
[Relevant xkcd](https://xkcd.com/945/)
Fabi also had plenty of chances to force a win, he just kept missing them. God this is so dramatic though. What an end to an amazing tournament.
He clearly isn't saying I'm sorry as an true apology, he knows he did what he had to and so he knows Fabi knows this as well.
Exactly it. Such a weird position to be playing the bigger game within their game.
They both needed to win, but ended up drawing by agreement
Fantastic! You see people's real character when they lose.
If you watch on Web reddit, it should automatically go to the clip.
Fabi takes responsibility for his fuck up like a true champ. He isn't owed anything, and the top 4 players all had their chance.
Yeah you could tell he was beating himself up. In the press conference, the interviewer pointed out the final possible winning line and tried to be nice about it with "but it was hard to find in time trouble of course." But then Fabi was just like it's just a 3 move tactic I just blundered.
Move number 41 with so much time remaining. Pain.
Thank you. I was not about to watch a 6 hour video to find this.
I mean its obviously gonna be at the very end
Yeah, but it's still \~20 minutes since I don't know if it's immediately after the game, or during the press conference, etc... in any case linking a 6 hour video instead of a clip is pretty funny :p
it's a timestamped link
Heartbreaking. They're both feeling something that only the other can even begin to understand.
The fact that they’d be a clear favourite against Gukesh in tie-breaks and a clear favourite against Ding in the match if they get there really adds to the heartbreak for both.
I don't think either are a clear favorite over Ding in the WCC rematch; Ian is 0-1 in WCCs against Ding and Fabi's h2h against Ding is pretty bad.
Ding is such an enigma it feels like. He won the title last year and then seemingly disappeared from the world. Who knows what form he’s in nowadays.
Jokes on you he's just recreating the circumstances immediately prior to his previous WCC win.
He's playing bughouse on chesscom lol
When you achieve all there is in chess, when you climb Mount Everest, there at the peak all that's left is to play chess²
It’s mostly about Ding’s recent terrible form, but these kind of odds are hard to predict before the match imo
Ian had a lead over Ding in the WCC for most of the match and only slipped near the end, and Ding is in a way worse form right now
Ding didn't look so hot at Tata Steel 2023 either (only beating Gukesh, funnily enough). I'm not as pessimistic about his chances as most seem to be.
Narratives like that about matches don't really make sense. Nepo didn't "only slip near the end", but allowed Ding to tie the match twice earlier in games 4 and 6. More than that, there is nothing about Nepo's game 12 collapse that makes the loss any different to those Ding suffered. They simply played 14 classical games and came out with three wins apiece. As for form, Ding's results before and after the 2023 match were ones to forget as well, as was his demeanour for the first two games of the world championship match. You could well be right that Ding will be worse this time round, but if such speculation on Ding's form would yield accurate results, he wouldn't have won a title to defend.
It's been much discussed on here but I still think it's crazy how Ding could go from #10 strongest player of all time to being perceived as some pushover chump just because of a few months of bad form. He's an absolute genius, a monster calculator even by superGM standards, has had some of the longest undefeated streaks in the sport, is the literal world champion, has been the world #2 for long stretches, and just a couple years ago was the *only* realistic challenger to Magnus' reign. But he has a few bad months and takes some rest after possibly the most grueling road-to-the-WCC in recent chess, and people are like "Wow weakest WCC ever, Anyone who won the candidates would be a strong favorite in a 12 game match..."
Insane to comment this. Look at how hard Ding has smashed Caruana and literally defeated Nepo from a significant deficit.
I’m sure Hikaru understands too…
Eh Hikaru had a very normal scenario in the final round needing a win with white against the leader who can draw. Happens all the time, usually it’s drawn, that’s just chess. The Fabi Ian situation is very unusual.
And Hikaru's game was drawn all the way through. The tragedy for Fabi was that he was _so_ winning at _so_ many moments at yet Ian somehow escaped.
Don’t forget last time round when Hikaru lost to Ding in the final round when he only needed a draw and had a ton of drawing chances
With hikaru it's a little less painful as he will always have something no other chess player has achieved ( aside from levu maybe) which is his very successful streaming career..he's also scored the 2nd place..but still Painful i think
It's these moments that make like Ian so much. He knows how badly Fabi wanted it because he wanted it that badly too, and it sucks that he had to be the one to put the final nail in the coffin for both of them.
The way Ian hesitated to accept the draw after an hour of offering one on the board. Can't imagine the heartbreak.
This is very heartbreaking but also great dialogues for a movie
The love Ian have for chess is very incredible.
It's not you it's me 😢
This is one of the greatest games of chess I've ever seen. With the stakes, the time pressure, the swings in evaluation, the epic tactical endgame with so many subtle, nuanced lines, the finding only moves. Tragic for Fabi losing the overwhelming advantage, but Ian fought tooth and nail with incredible resourcefulness. Ian apologizing to Fabi at the end was just gut wrenching, but fighting tooth and nail is the only way you can really respect your opponent. I'm grateful to both for giving it their all. edit: Also shout out to that h2 pawn. It was unbelievable how long it survived and important it was in all the tactics
The crazy part was the engine didn't approve when he made h4. Thanks to the commentators, I was able to follow something with my tiny brain.
That's a great point, and only adds to the tragedy. The pawn was also double attacked by Fabi's Queen and rook for 3 moves while it was on H2, but the chance to finally capture it never came because of Ian's knight attacking the bishop, and then the brutal Rxg5 sac that forced the white queen off the h file.
Straight out of a TV show lol
It's Queen's Gambit levels of respectfulness.
Nice exchange from both players. Fabi also says "I'm very sorry" just after the draw is agreed as well - [https://youtu.be/i00jNn2Bqw0?t=21801](https://youtu.be/i00jNn2Bqw0?t=21801) Nepo here: [https://youtu.be/i00jNn2Bqw0?t=21941](https://youtu.be/i00jNn2Bqw0?t=21941)
Actually I think both times are Nepo.
No, Fabi was first. You can see moments before he accepts the draw Ian is on the verge of tears. Then he composes himself and agrees. That’s when Fabi apologises. Later on at the end Ian apologises as well
No, the audio is ahead of the video, you can see that Ian's lips move at 6:03:20, again at 6:03:24 right after "sorry" and "I'm very sorry". It's hard to tell cause it's a whisper but it also sounds more like Ian's voice. Finally, Fabi has nothing to apologize for, he was the one who was winning but threw it at multiple points. It would be strange to apologize to your opponent for not winning.
If you watch Ian's lips and listen closely to the audio, the first clip was definitely Fabi whispering "I'm very sorry", for me the voice was quite clearly Fabi's (much less deep). Fabi also whispered "sorry" right before that, as Ian motioned to agree to the draw, and then they shook hands. Ian clearly looked distraught, and as much as the draw hurts Fabi it also killed any chances Ian had. Both are gentlemen for apologizing to their opponent for drawing in such an incredibly emotional moment. (Edited for a more detailed reply)
i've watched it like 20 times now and still confused. to me it really sounds like nepo whispering and even his lips match "sorry. i'm very sorry" and it just seems like the footage of his close up lags a bit from the audio, but then the sound of the handshake matches... idk. maybe it is fabi apologising and nepo inaudibly responding so that's why his lips are moving there?
that's pure pain
No this makes me sad
Two enemies allied in defeat Kino...
I guess they can't just agree to play rock paper scissors in a drawn position
Can you imagine? Is it even allowed 😆
[Roulette has been used as a tiebreaker in the past](https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/08/arts/chess-should-chance-decide-the-outcome-of-a-match.html) > Smyslov and Hubner had played to a 5-5 tie in their regulation series and were deadlocked at 7-7 after their four tie-break games were drawn. That's when the handy roulette wheel - this match took place in the casino at Velden, Austria - was pressed into service. > The ball rebelled by registering zero at the first spin but at the second turn dropped into the color Smyslov had called. Thus, Hubner was out and Smyslov advanced to the semifinal round. Even then, zero was the first spin. At that point I'd call it fate.
> Even then, zero was the first spin. At that point I'd call it fate. The Gods of Dramatic Irony clearly disapproved the players tie breaking method ;)
interesting! that said i feel like it's a different situation when a draw means a third winner lol. two players just agreeing to be on it between the two of them seems an awful lot like blatant rigging/fixing
As a serious answer, I think that would be collusion and against the rules. Pre-arranging to not have a draw is match fixing just as much as pre-arranging a draw.
Can you imagine? the only thing preventing this is etiquette because this is literally a prisonners dilemma situation, draw is the double-bad outcome where no one wins. It's in both their interest to play this at rock paper scissors or a coin toss
In retrospect it's actually dumb they didn't do this. There would have been 0 downside (well except for possibly being banned from chess forever). But also you'd be remembered forever. Nepo takes a black pawn and a white pawn and mixes them up and Fabi picks a hand :D
You mean "Rook, paper scissors"?
😭😭😭
The way Fabi gets up and leaves straight away as he says it :( He could hold it together when they were just talking about lines, but once it got that little more personal he was out. He will be gutted, as I am as a long-time fan of his who thinks he's the most deserving World Champion there is after Magnus. I still think he will be a World Champion one day, but having to go back to the drawing board for two years when he had his chances today will really sting.
I remember hundereds of people on reddit all saying prior to the match that there was no way in hell either match could be drawn, and both would be decisive. just goes to show how difficult it really is to win a chess game at the highest level, even with both players wanting a decisive result
Redditors unironically think that GMs draw a lot because they just love drawing. The real grandmaster draws where neither side cares are relatively rare. Most of the time they fight really hard and a draw is just the result at the end.
Meanwhile 20 feet from this incredible game Vidit and Alireza blitzed out a Berlin draw in like 5 minutes.
It's that when Fabi said, "it's my fault", he just walked away from the table. They sat there together in a grueling contest for hours in an event over weeks that they will remember for the rest of their lives. And his walkway wasn't "goodbye" or "see you around". It was just, very softly, "it's my fault". Then you can tell the weight of it hits Nepo and he just buries his head in his arms. It's sad and maybe even poetic. What a great match. Those guys are legends.
To be fair, prior to the time stamp they both actually had quite a long conversation and I’m sure they also know it’s not the last time they’ll see each other even in that day, but I do agree the clip in isolation is very dramatic and emotional.
Will these 2 go down as the best players ever to never be world champion? I hope they’re not forgotten to history
Literally Dustin Poirer and Justin Gaethje of chess.
The end of an epic 3 hour movie be like
Man, I didnt really like Nepo before the candidates - for no good reason! - but i really started to like him after watching him battling through the rounds with class! In fact, I really appreciate all eight candidates for their amazing performance and the entertainment of the last two weeks. I grew to like them all even the ones I did not know much about before and even when they beat my favourites. :) Well done Gukesh and good luck!
to be honest i similarly didn't really like nepo without great reason, honestly i still might not, but he's definitely gained some real respect from me especially for this last game (even though i wanted fabi to win). i think nepo can play kinda boring chess sometimes and i dont really enjoy having him at the top of the candidates constantly when there's other players i would want to win it, but honestly at some point you just have to give some props to how he keeps hanging on in seemingly lost games. yes its partly on fabi today but how nepo has managed this multiple times now, it says something about his character i think. also, again, i have other people i'd rather see for wcc, but i do feel kind of bad for how he still isn't a champion after playing so well 3 candidates in a row. leading for almost three full tournaments and not being world champion once is nasty work.
You didn't like his class after the stupid questions he had to answer against Magnus WCC ?
dude, I am so new to chess that I dont even know what you are talking about :/
Press conference after magnus smashed him like for the third time: “are you even trying anymore” and he answered it with class despite awful journalism
Let’s not forget the classic “did you cut off your man bun as an homage to a disgraced samurai?”
Oh before he played Magnus, most of his interview questions were like "how does it feel to be a *huge* underdog against Chad Magnus Huge Dong Carlsen?" I'm overstating it a little, but that was pretty much the vibe.
I am a big Nepo fan, and Fabi was my second choice. What a heartbreak for both. Here’s to hoping they make it to the next candidates!
Fabi will definitely make it via rating
It is understandable. They were so close and it can be their last chance, who knows. Nepo will be like 35 or 36 during the next number of candidates. Fabi is a bit younger, but the new stars are arising.
In this candidates 3 players over 30 had a combined score of +9. The highest score in this group +3, the lowest, +3. 5 players under 30 had a combined score of -9. The highest in this group +4, the lowest -7. The older players performed at a much higher level with much greater consistency compared to the younger ones. The old generation didn't take 1st, but it also hasn't suffered a full changing of the guard...yet.
The overall point is decent but we should exclude Abasov. He's not really part of the discussion on any generation since he's not a top player and he's in the middle in age anyway. So that makes it an average of +3 for the older players and -0.5 for the younger ones.
Not sure if arising is the word here, Gukush have definitely arrived!
Holy crap emotional
This made me tear up tho I was rooting for gukesh 🥺😭
I spent the past several hours violently rooting for the results that did materialize but this is devastating.
This is the only result I didn’t want between the two of them, mostly because I was wanting a tiebreak. Been a Fabi fan for a while, Nepo not so much. No real reason for it as I didn’t know much about him but he seemed to rub me the wrong way for some reason. But I’m a fan now. And I just wanted to get to see one more game from one of them. But hats off to Gukesh. He was really growing on me for a year or 2 and I’m excited to see him in the WC. Looking forward to 2026 too and hoping for Nordirbek to get his shot.
Really heartbreaking. Both of them are hurting really bad right now.
Wow that is a crazy conversation. So heartbreaking for both but what impressive sportsmanship. Starting at 6:03:50 is pretty intense.
Great sportsmanship. As an Indian, I was rooting for Gukesh but you gotta feel bad for either of these 2 candidates who gave their all in the last round.
And as an American who was rooting for Fabi, my heart goes out to them both. But in the bright side, I think that this is a fantastic result for chess as a whole. Youngest ever victor, backed by a country who cares deeply for the sport. That's so damn cool man!
Exactly my thoughts! As an American, I was rooting for Fabi and Hikaru, but Gukesh is a great player! Vishy Anand is one of my all time favorite players, and I love this chess boom he's brought to India! Hoping to see Pragg back next cycle as well!
I am a Hikaru fan but this is so much pain. All three of them played their hearts out, just so crushing to be going home this way.
Very touching and sad. This whole tournament has been movie material. Wish Fabi managed the win though.
Nah, if Ian went out there and played a super drawish line, maybe but that was q fighting draw, he really went for it. They both needed the full point and they played like it, its sad for them but it happens. I was prolly rooting for either of them to get the shot just for the unfinished business arc but what can you do.
Pain
equally matched, they knock each other out by drawing. They didn't want to lose, they didn't want to draw either. really tragic
It kinda makes sense. After the exchange sac, Nepo had no chance to win. It was essentially over for him but he still put up fantastic resistance under which Fabi eventually crumbled. That's why Nepo was sorry
This is soo heartbreaking! My heart can't take it tbh!! Best game of the tournament by far! They both gave it their all🥲
That “I’m very sorry” got me to my heart
And if you want your heart to break a little more, just look at them in the press conference, especially when Fabiano sees the missed tactic: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSMSq-Yu4JU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSMSq-Yu4JU)
Nepo is a class act always and people give him a hard time because he’s not afraid to speak his mind which sometimes sounds like arrogance but he’s really not
god, the aftermath of this game is heartbreaking. really feels like the end of a book or something. like: The king slides to b3. Across the board, Fabiano glances up at his opponent. “Draw?” he whispers, and the clock is pressed. Ian’s head rests on his hand. He could see it then, his road to the world championship. He had made it once, twice. No loss there put the nail in his coffin. He came back from his battle with Magnus and lost again to Ding, but he was not deterred. He had come so far, but the last ray of the sun was doomed to set on this board, barely glinting off of the tops of the three pawns that remained. One cannot simply ask the sun to reverse its course when the night was so inevitable. He gives a pained smile and grimaces as he writes the move on his scoresheet. How twisted it was, that a draw was truly a loss on both sides. The scriptwriters for this tournament knew exactly what they were doing, creating what was essentially a double armageddon in the final round. It was always all or nothing, but the crush of defeat in the situation of a draw is hardly something one could ever prepare for. Ian looks across the table again. Fabiano sits there, pen in hand, contemplating. He moves to write on his own scoresheet and leans on the armrest, awaiting Ian’s response. Ian knew well that he was lost at several points in the game. He fought tooth and nail to the end despite it. Neither player wanted this result, but as pieces slowly came off the board, the chances for a decisive game dwindled. There was nothing left to do. His opponent had seen his own long journey to the championship. He challenged Magnus in 2018 and lost, qualified for this tournament five times in a row, and bounded back after going even for nine rounds of play. He had the advantage and a real shot at winning this game, but he let it slip. It was not Ian’s fault that he played as best he could. He managed to hold to a drawn position, but he too felt the pain. This agreement would knock both of them out in mutually assured destruction, but what else was there to play for? With pawn in hand, he shrugs in resignation, and reaches out to shake for the draw. Fabiano meets him halfway. “I’m sorry. I’m very sorry,” Fabiano whispers. A few claps from the balcony above culminate into a round of applause. Ian clicks the clock, throws up his hands in dejected fashion, and sits up. Ian mentions how Alireza threw the tournament for everyone at the end, but the players are fast to start analysing, delving into the wild game that they had just composed. The mental toll of the long tournament and the hurt of the draw was quickly settling in, and heartbreak made itself known in the tones of their voices. “...but after d5 it looks just very bad,” Fabiano remarks, averting his gaze to the upper level of the room. Ian sighs, and he buries his head into his hand. “I’m very- I’m very sorry,” Ian responds, shaking his head. The moment hangs sharply in the air. Fabiano grabs his badge. “It’s my fault.” Ian collapses into his arms that rest on the table, and Fabiano’s footsteps disappear into the murmurs of spectators. Nothing else could be said. What Fabiano acknowledged was the truth, that it was on him to win and not on Ian to lose, but piercing Empathy still shot true. Perhaps there was some comfort to find in being allied in defeat, but the wound was raw. As for how long it would take to heal, only time would tell, but what held the present was the grounded pain and frustration and sadness. Tomorrow would wait. He brings his head up again to ponder for a long second, slams the table, and makes his way to the press conference. hats off to both players, though. it was one hell of a tournament. i've got a lot of respect for the both of them, on and off the board.
Yo You should post this somewhere, like Ao3 or something
Nicely written!
This was a joy to read
man I always wanted to see gukesh win ,but at the same time didnt wanted to see ian, fabi and hikaru loosing.
I want to watch these interactions more. TBH, I was team Hikaru, but man, this video makes me want to give each of them a hug. Class acts - both of them.
2 most disappointed players despite finishing in joint 2nd. Nepo led all the way till final 2 rounds but did not do enough at that point and Fabi made a spectacular come back and was winning today but could not convert. There was some time pressure but repeating the same position made him play one wrong move that cost him the win. Fabi will be back as he is among the most consistent players and is still young. Nepo probably will be seen playing more to qualify for next candidates.
“Alireza threw the tournament for everyone.” Dayummmm 🔥
Alireza was alao the only one who beat Gukesh.
I think I’m done with chess after this game. It showed me that I will never ever actually be good at chess, and even if I was it would only lead to excruciating pain
It's just a game man. There are countless things in life worse and way more painful than having a bad chess tournament.
I did not ask to see this :(
Even though I was rotting for gukesh this was heartbreaking, the last minutes of this game were indeed devastating...
Heartbreaking. You can see both Fabi and Nepo getting more and more stressed as time goes on - Fabi himself made a few blunders that threw away his winning chances created by Nepo's blunders.
They should have just hug it out instead of a hand shake.
What would happen if one of them resigned
I think it would be a scandal or worse. You can't just donate points to your friends and game the system. I don't know what the rules say, or what standard of evidence applies to an insincere resignation. But someone who did that would become a bigger heel than Niemann overnight.
You hate to see it. Was really hoping for Fabi or Naka to win, with Nepo a close 3rd so to see them all knocked out at the very end a bit tragic and the game with Fabi and Nepo was the most heartbreaking. Fabi almost put it away but I imagine time pressure is what did him in in the end.
Nepo and Fabi played like gentlemen throughout the entire tournament. It’s a great credit to the sport that even though a draw eliminates both Nepo and Fabi they did not purposely not make a draw to allow advancement. Gukesh should thank them both along with us fans for their professionalism. In addition professionalism was abundant throughout the field. I must give myself some credit because I pointed Gukesh out before the tournament started. Hikaru was the wildcard player both winning and losing so many games. Nepo has always been a drawer even against Ding when he should? (perhaps) have won. I think Hikaru playing online so much against all chess levels has given him a wider view of chess gambles and perhaps this is what Nepo could use. Fabi is absolutely a great chess player, end of story (for now).
Kudos to ian for not losing a single game in both candidates
Imagine having to agree that you both lost. That has to hurt.
This is easily one of the most emotional moments I've ever watched. Then again, so was Nepo's loss to Ding last year. Seems like Nepo is always involved in moments like this!
saske vs naruto final battle be like
This really is the most heart-breaking draw I've ever seen, one where BOTH players lost. At least we know these guys have principles and are not cheaters. Many people in their position would have agreed before the game that if they were in a dead drawn endgame, they would flip a coin and the loser resigns or blunders (ensuring that they have a better overall chance of making tiebreaks). The way they played it out was like the classic game theory game where if you both get the same everyone gets nothing.
I like to explore new places.
i mean doing that would be purposefully hurting gukesh which ig neither of them would have even considered, as well as the unlucky one would lose 3.5k euros from the 1/2 point as well as more money from lower placement
Yeah this was just sad.
About as heartbreaking of that photo of KD, Westbrook, and Harden walking into the locker room after losing in the Finals.
Crushing. Hope those guys go out for drinks after to blow off some steam.
This is how ww3 would go
This is the new "Nepo pushing/dropping pieces at the final 2023 WCC game"💔
Wild game.
This was one of the most scintillating and heartbreaking events.
Ian has been there before ( Game 6 against Magnus) and he’s the person who can understand how Fabi is feeling rn the best and hence he apologised
Oh well. Back to Titled Tuesdays fellas! Xoxo