Two-time Winner Crashes Out of the Candidates Race in Goa World Cup
In a shocking turn of events, Russian Grandmaster and two-time Candidates winner Ian Nepomniachtchi lost 1.5-0.5 to 2573-rated Indian GM Diptayan Ghosh in his opening-round match, missing his last chance to qualify for the 2026 Candidates. Following the defeat, Nepo sharply expressed his dissatisfaction with FIDE for hosting the event on Indian soil. Here’s how it unfolded:
After an uneventful first classical game, Nepomniachtchi, aiming to overpower his lower-rated opponent, lost the thread of the second game early in the opening. Loose moves like 15.h3 cost him control, a pawn, and ultimately the game. The 27-year-old Indian capitalized effectively, converting the advantage to secure a deserved victory over his opponent rated 140 points higher—one of the finest classical wins of his career.
Diptayan delivered one of two major upsets in the opening round against “already seeded” players (the top 50 were directly placed into the second round). Ian, meanwhile, voiced his frustration with FIDE in a Telegram message (in Russian), which translates roughly to: “I had played in India before (in 2019 in Kolkata), so I had a good idea of what the conditions would be like. But FIDE, to their credit, managed to surprise me. There’s nothing to say about the chess aspect.”
Though Ian’s complaints were vague, his closing line ignited outrage among Indian fans: “One of those places that you won’t be sad to leave.” While FIDE has not publicly acknowledged or addressed the matter, many fans view the Russian’s words as disrespectful and racist.
Shifting back to the World Cup in Goa, another early casualty was Wesley So, who tragically resigned in a position that could have been held to a draw. Unable to withstand the brutality of the knockout format, these two heavyweights have crashed out of the 2025 FIDE World Cup, extinguishing their final hope of qualifying for the 2026 Candidates. While many top players have advanced by winning their classical matches, several matchups remain unresolved. The action-packed rapid tiebreaks of Round 2 will begin on November 6 at 15:00 IST. Follow the event’s official broadcast on FIDE’s YouTube channel and Chess Ninja for exciting updates from the chess world.
Photo courtesy: Eteri Kublashvili
