Carlsen has officially retired from the championship cycle | So Good News

Magnus Carlsen, the reigning world chess champion and the highest ranked player in history, has officially withdrawn from the FIDE World Chess Championship cycle. According to chess governing body FIDE, Carlsen has confirmed in writing that he will not defend his title.

Magnus Carlsen at the 2016 World Chess Championship in New York

The announcement earlier today comes as no surprise: Carlsen announced his intention to retire from the official championship circuit earlier this year. However, this is an important milestone both for chess politics and for the commercial future of the Championship match.

According to the rules of the tournament, China’s Ding Liren will replace Carlsen as one of the participants of the 2023 Match and face Russia’s Yan Nepomniachchi. This is the first time in history that a Chinese player has aspired to become a world champion. This creates strong political support for Ding and the Match in China and makes it a little easier for organizers to sell the event to Chinese sponsors and the media.