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Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'They have so much bad blood' - Anish Giri takes a fresh dig at Hikaru Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi
Anish Giri was involved in a heated exchange with Ian Nepomniachtchi, Hikaru Nakamura. (Screengrabs) Anish Giri has taken potshots at Hikaru Nakamura and Ian Nepomniachtchi following their feud, which began at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team event earlier this month in London. "I'm getting very disturbed whenever Nepo is brought up. I'm like, how did everybody come on time and you didn't?" Giri told Take Take Take. "I think it was more of a heat-of-the-moment situation. Again, I felt that it was unjust what was happening. Not even what was happening, but the fact that they just finished the match," he added. The controversy began when WR Chess lost the first match of their two-game quarter-final against Germany and Friends. The team protested, arguing they hadn't been officially notified of the start time, causing their players to arrive late. Alireza Firouzja showed up 15 seconds late for his three-minute game, while Ian Nepomniachtchi had only 1 minute and 4 seconds left on his clock, and Hikaru Nakamura just 38 seconds. All three lost their games as a result. After lengthy discussions, the organizers permitted the teams to replay the first match. "They lost. Are they going to play again? And intuitively, I feel that their chances of winning the match are, like, massive. And then I realized, well, that's because, you know, they're taking two shots. And they shouldn't have taken the first shot. "Of course, I understand it all happened in the moment. But I just didn't like the notion of all of them sitting there entitled. "And I'm like, yeah, how did everybody come on time and you didn't? Like, you know? They saw the entitlement, like, yeah, how did it even happen? Like, you know, I didn't really like the way it went. And the fact that nobody was fighting for the other team," he added. Nepo, in response, had thrown comments like: "Big expert in law, Anish. Since when?" and "Next FIDE president" at the Dutch GM. "Anish seems so smart, but whenever he opens his mouth… it's already questionable," said Nepo. "Why does he care so much?" Nakamura had asked. When coaxed about Ian Nepomniachtchi and Nakamura gossiping about him, the World No. 10 said: "If Ian and Hikaru are able to sit alongside each other and gossip about me, you know, then me and Ian will surely be fine as well. Because these two, like, they have so much bad blood. I mean, like, it is so bad for so many years." "And they've had so many incidents that if they managed to overcome it, me and Ian will manage to overcome it as well. I'm not confrontational until I feel that there's been injustice. And when I feel that there's been injustice, it kind of triggers me. "I've had these issues with Magnus as well. Like, I'm ready to be his best friend. "But I felt that he's done something which was not just somehow an unfairness of a situation. It just triggers something in me. I don't know why that is. Otherwise, I'm very peaceful."
Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘Good thing with Nepo is one doesn't even need to beat him': Anish Giri takes fresh shots at Ian Nepomniachtchi
The controversy which began at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team event last week with WR Chess being allowed to replay a game seems to have spawned a new chess feud. Anish Giri has taken potshots at Ian Nepomniachtchi via X after he had remonstrated with the WR Chess team and exchanged words with these Russian in particular at the London event. The issue had started when WR Chess had lost the first match of the two-match quarter-finals to the Germany and Friends team. But WR Chess had then protested, claiming they were not informed officially of their start times for the round, which had led players to arrive late at the board. Alireza Firouzja had arrived for his game 15 seconds late for a three-minute game. Meanwhile, Nepo arrived with just 1 minute, 4 seconds left on his clock for his game against Vincent Keymer. Hikaru Nakamura arrived with just 38 seconds left on his clock for his clash with Matthias Bluebaum. Consequently, all three lost their games. The organisers had allowed the teams to replay the first match of the quarter-finals after lengthy deliberation. But not everyone was happy with the decision. A video from ChessBase India had shown Anish walking up to the WR Chess team and exchanging words with Nepomniachtchi and Nakamura. Anish was repeatedly asking the players if they would have replayed the game if they had won. Nepo, in response, had thrown comments like: 'Big expert in law, Anish. Since when?' and 'Next FIDE president' at the Dutch GM. 'Anish seems to smart, but whenever he opens his mouth… it's already questionable,' said Nepo. 'Why does he care so much,' Nakamura had asked. The tournament had ended with WR Chess winning the blitz title. Reacting to the incident, American GM Hans Niemann posted on X: 'I think Anish and Nepo should settle things on the chess board. Happy to sponsor a match on Endgame!' To this, Anish replied, while tagging Nepomniachtchi: 'The good thing with Ian is, one doesn't even need to beat him. Just hang in there long enough and he will probably accept to share the title. What do you think, Ian?' Anish's dig about 'sharing the title' was a reference to Nepo and Magnus Carlsen agreeing to share the FIDE World Blitz title late last year after playing out multiple draws. Niemann then posted: 'Perhaps if the winner becomes FIDE president, you can be CO FIDE Presidents.' In another tweet, Anish had responded to the comment about becoming FIDE president. 'My FIDE presidency will have to wait for a long-long while, but the first seed has evidently been planted today,' she posted.
