Nepomniachtchi: 'The World championship match is like an hourglass' after GCL final win
Ian Nepomniachtchi defeated Magnus Carlsen of Alpine APL Pipers in the final match of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, steering Ganges Grandmasters to an unlikely maiden title in Bengaluru on October 10, 2026. The victory capped Nepomniachtchi’s return to the GCL and preceded an interview in which he reflected on world championship matches, the GCL format and youth in chess.
Nepomniachtchi noted his unsuccessful 2021 World Championship challenge to Magnus Carlsen — which he said became Carlsen’s last defence — and recalled sharing the World blitz title with Carlsen two years ago. He explained he had missed the GCL editions in 2024 because of visa issues and skipped last year, having played in the inaugural 2023 edition. He described classical chess as sometimes “a little bit too controlled” and said the GCL’s rules introduce novel imbalances: "You don’t know the colour before the game, at least for the first part of the league, as it is decided by the toss, and you have four points for a win with black pieces and three with white." He added: "It is all fun and brings in some extra excitement. So, all in all, I think it is a good tournament to have in your calendar."
On the Bengaluru crowd, Nepomniachtchi said the venue saw "full houses for most days and the fans were cheering," a reaction he contrasted with his experiences in Dortmund. He described typical Dortmund spectators as older and sometimes sleeping in the front row — "So that is a bit funny. Everyone can hear this, but not arbiters" — and affirmed that Bengaluru audiences were "very respectful" and silent during play.
Discussing the upcoming World Championship between D. Gukesh and Javokhir Sindarov, Nepomniachtchi began with broader remarks on the match format: "The World championship match is always very special. It is like an hourglass. It is not like the round of the tournament when you can play one game badly and catch up later by beating another guy. It is always the same opponent." He observed that, "If we analyse the results for the past 16 or 17 months, there is some bad news for the Gukesh fans. He has lost roughly 90 Elo points or so. Yes, he has dropped way down from being the World No. 3. It is probably a question to him and to his team — What is going on, what is happening?" On the matchup, he warned that form can be volatile for young players, called Sindarov a clear favourite but not overwhelmingly so — "I think it should be more like 65 to 35" — and cautioned about early momentum.
On preparation and his own World Championship experiences, Nepomniachtchi described the match build-up as intensive: "The match is always tough. It is probably not the match itself. Playing itself is the easiest part, because it is what you are used to doing since childhood. But the preparation takes three months or even half a year or so. You basically live a very different life from what you normally do. It is a huge period of time, and you have to be completely focused." Recounting his 2021 match against Carlsen, he said: "I had worked quite a bit on my chess and physical condition. But I could never predict I wouldn’t sleep at all during the match. So, basically, my brain just fried. And in Game Six, I committed a couple of blunders. And I let him into this very unpleasant ending, which I surely didn’t want to appear. I could have made as many draws as possible, but playing for a win also brings you to some unknown territory sometimes. And whenever it came down to something, even simple calculation... my brain hadn’t rested properly, I started blundering things. It was a big experience, of course, but also he played so well."
Asked about emerging talent, Nepomniachtchi said: "Well, now you just blink once, and some young player already becomes a Grandmaster or reaches 2700. [Yagiz Kaan] Erdogmus is quite promising indeed." He recalled facing 12-year-old Faustino Oro in a classical game and being struck by the youngster's opening knowledge, and contrasted that with his own development: "When I was 12, I knew a couple of lines, here and there. And I had a rating of around 2300 or even 2400. So, I was not completely talentless. But, my opening knowledge was not like this." He singled out Roman Shogdzhiev as a promising Russian prospect who "perhaps could also try to get his GM title, you know, maybe set a new record." On politics and Russian chess, he stated the effect of the conflict: "Because of the Ukraine war, Russia cannot play in tournaments like the Olympiad," and, when reminded about players who signed an open letter to Vladimir Putin demanding an end to the military action, replied: "As a citizen, I think it is fine to have your position."
On the likely course of the Gukesh–Sindarov match, Nepomniachtchi said the opener will be pivotal: "If Gukesh manages to win one, especially in the beginning, or at least not lose, the match could become unclear, as he will get some confidence. But if Sindarov starts with a win, it could easily turn into a snowball."