A few hours after the International Chess Federation’s official announcement on Wednesday of the eight players qualified to take part in the Candidates’ Tournament, Magnus Carlsen announced that he would not be taking part. The five-time world champion, who had already given up on defending his title in 2023, has no intention of winning it back. His decision came as no surprise. ” Thanks for the invitation. I just don’t want to belong to a club that would have me as a member “, he said in an X post he’s known for, this time borrowing the formula from Groucho Marx.
The Norwegian, who has just been crowned world champion again in rapid and blitz, had obtained the sesame by winning the World Cup. According to FIDE rules, his withdrawal should allow Azerbaijan’s Nidjat Abassov to take over the vacant place, by virtue of his 4th place at the World Cup.
