Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

World chess champion to not defend his title at worlds next year

Magnus Carlsen of Norway competes during the FIDE World Championship at Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell) Magnus Carlsen of Norway competes during the FIDE World Championship at Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
Share

says he will not defend his next year against Russia's Ian Nepomniachtchi because he has no motivation to play the match.

The Norwegian grandmaster successfully defended his title against the Russian last year but says he has no "inclination" to play in the next championships in 2023.

"I feel I don't have a lot to gain, I don't particularly like [the championship matches], and 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," he said on his sponsor's podcast.

"Ultimately the conclusion stands, one that I'm pretty comfortable with, one that I've thought a lot about for a long time now, I would say more than a year ... since long before the last match."

Carlsen, who has spent over 10 years as the world's best player, says he has spoken to the game's governing body, FIDE, and Nepomniachtchi.

"The conclusion is, it's simple, that I am not motivated to play another match," he added.

FIDE disappointment

Following Carlsen's public comments, acknowledging his wishes and said it understood the decision was final.

FIDE said it had been open to working with top players to change the format of the championships after understanding the "tremendous toll that it takes playing five matches for the title."

Notably, Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi were involved in a near eight-hour game last year -- the longest in the tournament's history.

"Some of these ideas were discussed in May with Carlsen and other top players, and in Madrid, we had a meeting where all the concerns were discussed openly and in detail. Alas, it did not change his mind," FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich said in the statement.

"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.

"But chess is now stronger than ever —in part, thanks to Magnus— and the World Championship Match, one of the longest and most respected traditions in the world of sports, will go on."

While FIDE is yet to confirm the schedule for next year's championship, it is expected Nepomniachtchi will now play China's Ding Liren instead of Carlsen.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A driver suffered only minor injuries after going airborne in a residential neighbourhood in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Friday, the car eventually landing on its roof in someone’s backyard.

The owners of a North York condominium say they are facing a $70,000 special assessment to fix their building's parking garage. '$70,000 is a lot of money. It makes me very nervous and stressed out of nowhere for this huge debt to come in,' said Ligeng Guo.

Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.

The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.