Magnus Carlsen World Chess Championship
Magnus Carlsen has said that he would not defend his World Chess Championship title
against Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia in 2023. The five-time champion has
stated that he will continue to strive to "be the best in the world," even if that means not
competing in chess's grand championship. Ding Liren, the second-ranked player in the
world, will now take the stage to take on Nepomniachtchi, whom Carlsen defeated in
Dubai last year. The 31-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said, "I don't have any desire to
play, and I just won't play the match." The last grandmaster to forfeit the championship
rather than defend it in a match was Bobby Fischer in 1975.