Here’s How Ian “Nepo” Nepomniachtchi Made Nearly a Million Dollars Even After Losing to Magnus Carlsen

When talking about chess, Magnus Carlsen is the first name that comes to mind. Notably, Carlsen is the highest-rated player in the world.

In a testament of the same, the chess enthusiast won his fifth World Championship title, last week, in Dubai. He played against Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, in a 14 game battle. In the end, Carlsen showcased his supremacy in the game, reminding everyone why he is called the GOAT.

Despite having lost in the match, Nepomniachtchi managed to earn $905,000. Let’s see how.

The reason behind Nepo?s huge income despite losing

Winning the match helped Carlsen take home the prize money of $1,355,640. As for the challenger, Nepo took home $905,000 with him, which is way more than one could have imagined.

These huge numbers are courtesy of sponsorships provided by different brands. They pay millions for having their names and logos associated with such events, given its popularity amongst the masses.

Several brands like Mastercard and Unibet had their logos imprinted on the winner’s shirt. While Coinbase, which is a cryptocurrency exchange platform, managed to have its name on the back of Carlsen?s chair.

Sponsors even occupy the main game table. Russian cybersecurity and other chemical companies occupied the table and had their names printed on it.

Algorand, the first-ever blockchain to record chess, is no exception. The FIDE World Chess Championship has enough space to allow them to display player profiles and record respective ratings. Furthermore, they displayed the live stream of the match on a football stadium-sized screen in the exhibition hall.

Gazprom, Nornickel, and Phosagro turned out to be some of the biggest sponsors of 2021 FIDE.

Magnus Carlsen has his say on Nepo?s defeat

Magnus Carlsen bagged the title, wrapping up the 14 game series in the 11th game itself. With impeccable focus and grit, he triumphed over Nepomniachtchi’s blunders and took home his fifth World Championship title. The all-over score read 7.5-3.5.

Soon after the match, Carlsen spoke about Nepomniachtchi’s performance, mentioning how one could get into a tough situation and make mistakes.

“Obviously he couldn’t, at some point, show his best chess which is a pity for the excitement in the match but I think that’s what happens sometimes when you get in a difficult situation,” said the chess icon, Carlsen.

“All of that preparation, everything doesn’t necessarily help if you can’t cope at the moment.”

To sum up, the legendary chess player took home the title with pride and honor, proving why he is the best after all. What do you think is next for Carlsen?

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