Ian Nepomniachtchi from Russia will be challenging the current world chess champion Magnus Carlsen for the second time. He won the Candidates Tournament held in Madrid and was undefeated. He gained 9 points with 5 wins and eight draws.
Nepo won the tournament with a round to spare and he finished beyond the reach of close contenders Hikaru Nakamura and Ding Liren. This is his second consecutive victory in the Candidates Tournament. Ding Liren came second and Nakamura took the third place
Nepo was beaten by Magnus Carlsen in the World Championship match held in December last year. The scores were 7.5-3.5. Nepo has qualified for the 2023 World Championship against Magnus Carlsen but if the world champion decides to forfeit his title, Nepo will play against Ding Liren.
