Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

French GM

“I think the ability to accept defeat is a kind of indicator. That is, if you can’t do that, it becomes your limitation, and you can’t reach the top level.

Actually, there are different levels. The ideal level is Magnus’s: taking defeats very badly, but still being able to react and crush everyone in the next game.

What about me? I actually had a case when I lost the match against Nepo for qualification to the Candidates Tournament at the Grand Prix in 2019. I felt terrible then. Even a few days after that, I was just insulting people on the street…

During the final match — Nepo vs. Wei Yi — I was outside and decided to go for a walk, thinking it would help me. And I accidentally bumped into an elderly couple.

The man turned around and said: ‘Apologize’. And I showed him a big middle finger… He was about to attack me, but his wife told him not to. And she was right…

I was wrong, it was entirely my fault. I knew it, but I just… I shouldn’t have said anything then. The bully from the 6th ward of Paris!

There was also frustration because it was at least the sixth time I had failed in qualification…”