Magnus Carlsen has been “kindly asked” by Fide to decide by a deadline of 20 July, International Chess Day, whether he will defend his world championship title against the winner of the just concluded Candidates, Ian Nepomniachtchi. This followed a four-hour meeting in Madrid on Sunday between the Norwegian and the global body’s two top officials, before Carlsen headed off to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker.
Nepomniachtchi, who was crushed 7.5-3.5 in his 2021 title challenge to Carlsen, won the Candidates again by a two-point margin. The Russian, playing under a neutral Fide flag, was unbeaten with 9.5/14 and led from start to finish, while China’s world No 2 Ding Liren overtook Hikaru Nakamura of the US in the final round for a significant second place. Nepomniachtchi was honoured at the relaxed closing ceremony, captured on video.
