“I lack the motivation for another title fight”, chess world champion Magnus Carlsen said in a video podcast published by his sponsor on Wednesday (07/20/2022) and thus de facto renounced the world championship title. However, the 31-year-old wants to continue his chess career and has not ruled out a World Cup comeback at a later date.
This is a severe setback for the world association FIDE, as it loses its biggest figurehead in Carlsen. “We had a little discussion”Carlsen said of the conversation in which he informed the federation of his decision: “They came up with a few suggestions – some of which I liked, some of which I didn’t.”
Kasparov: Carlsen might not be satisfied with FIDE either
Carlsen got understanding for the decision from Garri Kasparov, among others, who was a chess icon himself at the time, world champion and also a critic of FIDE. Kasparov got into trouble with the association in 1993 and finally, after almost eight years as world champion, founded his own association, the “Professional Chess Association” (PCA), in which he again became world champion.
“I suspect that he is not satisfied with FIDE as an organization. I have been saying for many decades that it is not an institution that can guarantee the professional development of chess. It is also still controlled by Russians, below the current international ones Conditions, that’s not a good sign for the future of the organization either.”suspects Kasparov, known to be a major critic of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and also a critic of the association, as well as a lack of motivation for other reasons for Carlsen’s decision.
Chess is also becoming faster and more dynamic, so the Grand Chess Tour, where rapid and blitz chess are also played, is much more attractive for a modern player like Carlsen, who also builds and organizes several online chess events.