Magnus Carlsen Will Really, Really Give Up His Championship Title, Maybe

In an interview with VG, a Norwegian news site, Magnus Carlsen, the undefeated World Chess Champion, gave the strongest indication to date that he will not defend his title, come the World Chess Championship match next year. But he can still change his mind.

Magnus Carlsen in London in 2018. He won his match against Fabiano Caruana.

Our Norwegian is a bit rusty, but it’s clear from the interview that Carlsen, citing lack of motivation, informed his team that the Championship in Dubai was his last. Carlsen still thinks this way and clearly wants to break away from the title which defines him yet yields very little returns every time he needs to defend it, so why not step down undefeated and continue being the best in the sport for years without the stress of having to defend the title.

What does this mean for chess? For one, it will dramatically debase the Championship title: what’s the point in fighting for it while the strongest player is not in the fight at all? The Match will also lose a lot of media attention: Carlsen is the sport’s only real superstar. Without him, the Championship match will turn into a fairly mundane three weeks.

Carlsen will inevitably leave the Championship cycle. If not next year, then the year after that. Maybe, this pill needs to be swallowed by the chess world sooner rather than later because it gives Carlsen ample time to decide to come back if he feels like it in a few years. Sure, he will need to win the Candidates again, but this simply means more chess drama, something the fans would appreciate.

The Match is currently expected to take place in the early 2023. The winner of the Candidates Tournament will play against the incumbent Champion. In case the Champion refuses to play, the Match will be between the winner and the runner-up of the Candidates Tournament.