Chess continues to go from strength to strength in the online space, with fan interest in the royal game reaching stratospheric heights during the pandemic and the Queen’s Gambit era.

The sometimes eccentric, often brash, and always brilliant players in the chess elite always produce memorable moments, and 2022 was no exception to this. From triple crowns to anal beads, this year had it all, and in the case of these critical games, one has to wonder what could have been if they had gone the other way.

Here are the biggest chess games from this past year.

Biggest chess games in 2022

Nepomniachtchi parries Caruana’s threat to turn the tide of the Candidates

After the first half of the 2022 Candidates Tournament, the event to determine the next challenger for the world championship title, Nepo and Caruana were the two leaders, winning games left and right. Their titanic clash offered a great opportunity to both players, and at some point, Caruana had a significant advantage in the game but failed to find a way to convert.

Shockingly, Caruana then lost his next two games and went into a complete tailspin, leaving Nepo without any real challenger for the rest of the tournament.

Of course, it wasn’t the only critical game of the Candidates, especially in light of Magnus Carlsen’s later decision to step down.

Nakamura almost makes it to the World Championship match

You can’t help but wonder what could have been had Hikaru Nakamura managed to cap…