OSLO: Citing a lack of motivation, chess world number one Magnus Carlsen on Wednesday announced that he would not defend his world championship title in 2023, but stressed that he was not retiring from chess.
“I am not motivated to play another match… I simply feel that I don’t have a lot to gain. I don’t particularly like it,” Carlsen said in the first episode of his podcast “The Magnus Effect”.
Carlsen has repeatedly hinted that, bored with a title he has held for nearly 10 years, he may give up his throne without a fight.
The 31-year-old crushed Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi 7.5-3.5 in his fifth straight victorious title match last December.
“Although I’m sure a match would be interesting for historical reasons and all of that, I don’t have any inclination to play and I will simply not play the match,” Carlsen told the podcast released on Wednesday.
Carlsen said he had met with representatives from The International Chess Federation (FIDE) to inform them of his decision in Madrid in connection to the Candidates Tournament — which decides who gets a chance to challenge the world champion.
“We had a small discussion. They had some suggestions, some of them I liked, some of them I did not, but ultimately the conclusion stands,” he added.
Void
Carlsen added that he had thought about the decision for over a year, “since long before the last match”.
“His decision not to defend his title is undoubtedly a disappointment for the fans, and bad news for the spectacle. It leaves a big void,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement commenting on Carlsen’s announcement. — AFP
