Magnus Carlsen is a professional chess player who has dominated the title of the World Chess Champion. However, he recently decided not to defend his title and step down from the crown. Russian chess player Ian Nepomniatchtchi is a contestant for next year’s Chess World Championship Match. The Chess World Championship Match consists of 14 rounds where the chess champion and challenger face off in a match. The player who scores 7.5 points wins and the other loses. When there is a tie, the opponents will compete in the tiebreaker match. Nepomniatchtchi may go against the Chinese grandmaster Ding Liren.
This is not the only occasion in which the World Chess Champion gave up their title. In 1975, chess prodigy Bobby Fischer chose not to defend his title as World Chess Champion. This was due to the Cold War and his decision left the entire world in shock. Some were willing to pay him millions of dollars so that he could come back. His decision remained and made Anatoly Karpov the new champion. When Karpov first gained the title, many were skeptical if it was the right decision. Over the decade however, he proved them wrong as he dominated the game.
In 1985, Garry Kasparov beat Karpov and became the World Chess Champion. Kasparov defended his title against Karpov for three years straight. A problem arose when Kasparov played against Nigel Short of England, but the chess organization took 20 percent of the profits made from the match. This led to Kasparov and Short attempting to make a deal with the organization about the money. The chess organization rejected it and punished Kasparov so that he was no longer the World Chess Champion. Instead, they organized their own championship match between Karpov and Jim Tanner of the Netherlands.
Karpov and Kasparov both claimed to be the World Chess Champion. Karpov had the support of the Chess organization, but many consider Kasparov to be the true king of chess at the time. This split in the chess world was only repaired in 2006 when Kasparov retired in 2005 and Vladimir Kramnik became World Chess Champion. The outcome of Carlsen not defending his title may lead to what happened with Fischer. Carlsen has also been on television shows and a model for a clothing company. Let’s hope that next year’s champion is a worthy successor of Carlsen and does not disappoint. However, history can still play a vital part in the decision of who the new champion should be.
This is not the only occasion in which the World Chess Champion gave up their title. In 1975, chess prodigy Bobby Fischer chose not to defend his title as World Chess Champion. This was due to the Cold War and his decision left the entire world in shock. Some were willing to pay him millions of dollars so that he could come back. His decision remained and made Anatoly Karpov the new champion. When Karpov first gained the title, many were skeptical if it was the right decision. Over the decade however, he proved them wrong as he dominated the game.
In 1985, Garry Kasparov beat Karpov and became the World Chess Champion. Kasparov defended his title against Karpov for three years straight. A problem arose when Kasparov played against Nigel Short of England, but the chess organization took 20 percent of the profits made from the match. This led to Kasparov and Short attempting to make a deal with the organization about the money. The chess organization rejected it and punished Kasparov so that he was no longer the World Chess Champion. Instead, they organized their own championship match between Karpov and Jim Tanner of the Netherlands.
Karpov and Kasparov both claimed to be the World Chess Champion. Karpov had the support of the Chess organization, but many consider Kasparov to be the true king of chess at the time. This split in the chess world was only repaired in 2006 when Kasparov retired in 2005 and Vladimir Kramnik became World Chess Champion. The outcome of Carlsen not defending his title may lead to what happened with Fischer. Carlsen has also been on television shows and a model for a clothing company. Let’s hope that next year’s champion is a worthy successor of Carlsen and does not disappoint. However, history can still play a vital part in the decision of who the new champion should be.
