Nepo Apologises to Caruana after their Intense Final Game at the Candidates 2024

Hearing "sorry" instead of "good game" after a game sounds so heartbreaking.

4:09 Nepo - “I am very sorry”, Fabi - “My fault “ 😭😭

"I- I'm very, very sorry." "My fault." My heart breaks as a Fabi and Nepo fan 😭

No single chess achievement will likely eclipse the title of world champion. But what nepo just showed to me, as a fan of chess, means so much more. No matter who would have won I would not felt the amount of love and sportsmanship that I just witnessed. Bless both of your hearts and minds with peace knowing that both of you are so much more than a title.

Nepo is a very nice guy i want to see him as a world champion atleast once.

Bro they both are such a Gentlemen.... Respect for both of them....

As another comment pointed out, in 2:04 Nepo said: "Alireza might be happy thinking he threw the tournament for everyone". I don't think Alireza lost on purpose, but it is true that because of that game, Gukesh almost had the win of the Candidates in the bag. Hikaru, Nepo and Fabi were in a difficult position. I think Hikaru did well in the last round, but he had no chance to win because Gukesh defended well. Regarding the Nepo-Fabiano match, the must-win requisite influenced them negatively, which is understandable because of the pressure. Going back to Nepo's statement, it's interesting that he said "he threw the tournament for everyone", not "for us", so it seems that he included Hikaru as well because the latter was also fighting for a win instead of a draw. Heartbreaking. Nepo was leading during the entire tournament only to lose in the last round, and he even felt sorry for the other two competitors. This is simply chess, and all of them did impressive.

Ian is not only a fierce competitor - but a true gentleman. He knew he was losing and could resign. But at the same time, he was playing for himself - defended like a true Chess player. Eventually he was torn between 2 choices - 1) Perhaps he was in the way of another great player's goal 2) Being true to himself and fighting till the end. He knew it was Fabi's shortcomings not to convert this into a win. Yet he is saying "sorry" (Fabi acknowledged his failure too). Great match, great spirit, great human beings. We, the followers, have witnessed something special. Thank you.

This is why Chessbase India stands out as a channel. Showing not only what is in demand, but also what matters. Bringing out the human side of stories. This one in particular is really heartbreaking.

Nepo is such a gem of a person. He Knew he was supposed to lose somewhere while playing that endgame. And yet he fought. The fight was futile for his own chances. It bought him no hope for win, all he could even hope for was a draw. And a draw was not enough for the scoring situation for Nepo. But still he fought on. This final game from the candidates demonstrates why chess is a Gentleman's game. Beautiful.

1:25 - that look, just a tiny smile... these eyes say more than any words, that describes the feeling of being second, being just one small step away of desired goal. Fascinating players, both respecting each other as it should be

My respect for Ian and Fabiano, while already high, has risen even higher. Such respect from these two.

No one has been through more top level shenanigans than Ian. It also explains why he is able to empathise with Fabi better than anyone else.

when nepo said “i’m really sorry” and fabi replied with “my fault” at the end, istg my eyes started welling up with tears.. as much as i was rooting for gukesh throughout, this is heartbreaking for them.

I am an Indian and as much we were cheering for Gukesh, I'd love these two gentlemen to also win it, Fabi looks so vulnerable here such a massive talent with pure innocence, also Nepo showed his class and vulnerable side by saying sorry at the very end, keeping it all within (how could he express it because he was competing & representing his nation while fighting his opponent) !! I watched this game till the end, it was a special game a really nail biting game that kept me on the edge of my seat, not because the result of this was critical but because it was two heavy weights fighting and was an insane battle. Candidates is harsh!! Amongst the Top 4, anyone can be the winner, it's just lucky draw I guess.

Nepo is a legend of a person….. Saying sorry to an opponent who stood in his way of claiming the title, fully acknowledging the current game position while digesting the fact that he is also out of the race, shows what real sportsmanship should be….. was rooting for gukesh alone since the very start inspite of magnus’ and vishy’s predictions, but i really wish now that nepo becomes a world champion for atleast once….

Nepo knows better than everyone what it means to be heartbroken in chess. win, lose or draw, he is still one of the greatest sportsmen in the game history.

For all saying that Nepo shouldn't be sorry: By saying sorry Nepo didn't mean "I am sorry for defending the position", but rather meant "I feel your pain in drawing the match". The same way you tell someone who lost a loved one "I am SORRY for your loss" It was empathy of Fabiano's situation. For those who also don't understand the context of the video, by drawing the game, both players ruined their chances of winning the tournament and competing in the world championship. They both played the best chess they could, but lost their chance in winning the tournament. Tough luck

They actually remember every move they made in the game including the variations that were possible. The presence of mind these guys have is incredible

1:45 that is soul crushing to hear.