Ian Nepomniachtchi wins the FIDE Candidates Tournament

Magnus Carlsen will face his childhood nemesis Ian Nepomniachtchi in a 14-game World Chess Championship match this November in Dubai after Ian won the FIDE Candidates Tournament with a round to spare. Nepomniachtchi’s opponent Maxime Vachier-Lagrave had to win with the black pieces but never came close, while Anish Giri lost to self-confessed “chess terrorist” Alexander Grischuk. Ian called reaching the match a “huge milestone in my career and perhaps in my life also,” but understandably never wants to play a tournament lasting over a year again.

The one player who went into Round 13 of the FIDE Candidates with an absolutely clear task was French no. 1 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who knew nothing but a victory with the black pieces over tournament leader Ian Nepomniachtchi would do. Nepo wasn’t going to make it easy, and began with 1.Nf3, a move he said he had no idea what to do after himself.

Maxime went for 2…b6 and soon a double fianchetto, but it was one of the options Ian had been expecting, and the Russian gradually built up what was verging on an overwhelming position.

See also:

• Official website
• FIDE Candidates Tournament games on chess24
• FIDE Candidates Tournament stopped at halfway
• FIDE Candidates to resume after 389 days
• Carlsen to play 5th World Championship in Dubai this November
• Magnus Carlsen to commentate on the Candidates
• Jan, Laurent & Peter preview the Candidates
• Alexander Grischuk on the FIDE Candidates
• Candidates Round 8: Caruana stuns MVL to blow race wide open
• Candidates Round 9: Giri back in the race
• Candidates Round 10: Nepo closes in on match with Magnus
• Candidates Round 11: Giri inspired as Nepo keeps Fabi at bay
• Candidates Round 12: Giri ends Fabi’s dream | Nepo leads