The FIDE World Cup in India should’ve been remembered for its thrilling chess — instead, it’s now making headlines for all the wrong reasons. World Blitz Champion Ian Nepomniachtchi stormed out after his early exit, blaming India’s food, hotels, and even the view from his room. Fabiano Caruana, not even playing the tournament, joined the chorus through his "second", claiming there were bedbugs in player hotels. But Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri wasn’t having any of it. Giri delivered a sarcastic, scathing takedown of their complaints while praising India’s hospitality. As India hosts the World Cup for the first time in 23 years, the controversy exposes a deeper story — the West’s discomfort with India’s dominance in global chess. Are these just excuses, or is it hard to accept that India is now the new superpower of world chess? Rupha Ramani explores.
