World chess champion Magnus Carlsen says he will not defend his title in 2023 : NPR
Jon Gambrell / AP
Magnus Carlsen, who has been ranked the number one chess player in the world since 2011, announced Wednesday that he will not defend his world title.
“The conclusion is very simple that I have no motivation to play another match,” the five-time world champion said on his podcast, Magnus effect. Championship matches are held every two years, with the next scheduled for 2023.
“I simply felt that I didn’t have much to gain,” added Carlsen. “I don’t particularly like it, and although I’m sure a match would be interesting for historical reasons and all that, I don’t have any competitive tendencies and I simply will. don’t play the game.”
Norwegian Carlsen, 31, last won the championship in 2021. Ian Nepomniachtchi won the Tournament of Candidates, which ended on July 5 in Madrid. That event is held every two years to see who will take on the reigning world champion.
He is expected to have a rematch in 2023 against Nepomniachtchi, whom he defeated at the 2021 world championship.
Carlsen said he held a meeting with the President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich and the Director General of FIDE Emil Sutovsky told them he could not defend his title.
Carlsen said the pair offered suggestions, “but in the end the conclusion is, one that I’m pretty comfortable with, one that I’ve been thinking a lot about for a long time, I’ll say.” , over a year – maybe a year and almost half.”
FIDE says Carlsen has yet to officially withdraw from the title fight.
“Magnus Carlsen deserves nothing but respect from FIDE, and from the entire chess community, in any decision he makes regarding his career,” said Dvorkovich. said in a statement on Wednesday. “Only a handful of people in history can understand and appreciate the sheer number that it took them five games to win the title.”
Carlsen said he only aims to win one world title.
He was unmotivated during his 2016 world championship match, his third world title, and mostly did it for the sake of others. Carlsen says fourth and fifth titles mean nothing to him.
“It’s nothing,” he said. “I’m happy with the work I’ve done. I’m glad I didn’t lose the game, but that’s it.”
Carlsen said he remains grateful for the opportunities the world matches have given him and that he will not give up chess.
He will still be playing this year’s Grand Chess Tour matches in Croatia and St. Louis, Mo., Chess Olympiad in India and the FTX Crypto Cup in Miami.
“I don’t rule out a comeback [to the world championship] in the future, but I wouldn’t particularly count on it either,” he said.