Ian Nepomniachtchi commented on his victory over Hans Moke Niemann in round 8 of the UzChess Cup 2026. Nepo says it was a regular tournament game for him, and calls it a return for their exhibition match in Belgrade.

Ian Nepomniachtchi

Ian Nepomniachtchi

Russia's No. 1

“When Hans made that mistake, he was probably tired from recollecting lines and calculating a lot. For me, it was pretty much just replaying my prep.

Does this victory mean more to me than just a regular tournament win? I don’t think so. I think it’s just a regular tournament game.

It’s better to win than to draw, but better to draw than to lose, of course. Just as usual. It’s good that I’m getting back some rating. Because I was losing it during the tournament…

Maybe I was a bit lucky — a return for our game seven in Belgrade. That morning, I was completely wasted. I didn’t even want to think for a minute, and I just didn’t collect a free piece.

So, there is some balance in the universe.”

Hans Niemann and Ian Nepomniachtchi played an exhibition match in Belgrade at the end of May. The GMs played to a score of 4-4, Ian refused to play a tiebreak, and the match ended in a draw. Nepo criticized the match, and Niemann made a public explanation of the situation.

The UzChess Cup 2026 took place from June 7 to 15 at the Crowne Plaza, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Ian Nepomniachtchi finished 3rd with a score of 5/9, and Hans Moke Niemann finished 7th with 4 points.

Credit: ChessBase India Facebook