Nepomniachtchi Slams 'Terrible' Chess World Cup Hotel Conditions in Scathing Review

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Russian Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi has sparked controversy after his early exit from the ongoing Chess World Cup. In a scathing review, he criticized the hotel conditions in Goa, where the tournament is being held. Nepomniachtchi, who departed the playing hall immediately after his defeat, also checked out of his hotel within an hour. The Russian GM took to his Telegram channel to express his dissatisfaction with the conditions, but initially did not directly point out anything. However, in a subsequent video, he revealed that the hotel was 'terrible' and not worthy of its claimed five-star rating. Nepomniachtchi recalled his previous visits to India, including the 2020 Olympiad in Chennai, where he found the conditions to be better than expected. However, he was disappointed with the hotel in Goa, citing a lack of ventilation in the players' lounge, limited food options, and poor air conditioning. The Grandmaster also spoke about the humid climate and the fact that the air conditioner in his room did not work. He claimed that he had asked FIDE officials about alternative accommodation, but was offered a villa that was ironically cheaper but had even more problems, including frequent power cuts. Nepomniachtchi rated the hotel three stars out of five, saying that it was 'no joke' to have to deal with the conditions. He also suggested that players who were accustomed to India had an advantage due to their familiarity with the climate and conditions. The controversy has sparked debate among chess players and fans, with some defending Nepomniachtchi's right to express his dissatisfaction and others criticizing him for complaining too much. The incident has also raised questions about the tournament organizers' choice of hotel and whether they should have been more considerate of the players' needs.