‘Gukesh, Ding Liren were never the best’: Niemann questions World Championship system

Gukesh’s struggle not a surprise for Niemann: ‘Never really best in the world’

An hour after the day’s early start-time of 2 pm, while everyone in the swanky Chennai hotel that serves as the tournament venue was focussed on the three games still raging in the playing hall, world champion Gukesh had already checked out of the hotel to go home.

‘Gukesh, Ding Liren were never the best’: Niemann questions World Championship system

Niemann, who previously had a prolonged public feud with Magnus Carlsen following their 2022 cheating controversy, was similarly unsparing in his assessment of the last two world champions.