I think he simply didnt feel like it.
Even if he sucessfully defended his title for one year, he still has to hold it again and again and it simply seems like too much of a hassle.
Magnus also seems to be taking the "Content creator" path rather than just professional chess player.
Yes, you had a good point. I think he will earn more money streaming, with much less effort than holding the title.
Sometimes life can get just monotonous and boring, maybe he just got bored of being the GOAT, he just may wants a normal life as a chess player
Sometimes life can get just monotonous and boring, maybe he just got bored of being the GOAT, he just may wants a normal life as a chess player
I guess a total of 5 times in a lifetime (5 world championships), in which he played for 1 month every 2 years on different exotic countries each time, and spending the nights in a luxurious hotel with posibility of doing tourism on rest days.... that's what i call boring and monotnous life!!
Maybe it’s a better question why Carlsen didn’t want to play more title matches, than declaring that the reason was that he was afraid to lose, and then ask why he was afraid… But in any case the question has been discussed many times since 2021, when he first stated that it was unlikely he would play the 2023 match, and even more a year ago, when he came with the definitive decision.
What he said after beating Nepo in 2021 was: “It has been clear to me for most of the year that this world championship match should be the last. It does not mean as much anymore as it once did. I have not felt that the positive has outweighed the negative”
Last summer he said: “I’m not motivated to play another match. I don’t have a lot to gain. I don't particularly like it, and although I’m sure a match would be interesting for historical reasons, I don’t have any inclinations to play”
So I think it’s a motivation question. The matches are less about enjoying luxury hotels and tourist trips during rest days than about months of preparation with the team, and hard work throughout the matches. It would have been the sixth time in ten years, and together with all classical and rapid and blitz OTB tournaments, and online speed chess events etc, he just didn’t enjoy it.
Notice, he is not asking Liren for a match?
And what would be the point of asking for a match when he doesn’t want to play matches? Also, if you want to play a title match you participate in the qualification for it together with the other players, you don’t bypass the regulations and break away from FIDE.
I think u don't understand the pressure of a World championship. If he loses, then loses all his glory but if he wins,he gains nothing because he's already the GOAT so yeah he felt like he had nothing to play for.
Yes, i totally agree with this. It's called "being afraid to lose".
Historians do not ask, "Why did the Ancient Romans enjoy watching death in the Colosseum?" They know the answer from witnessing forums like this.
Maybe it’s a better question why Carlsen didn’t want to play more title matches, than declaring that the reason was that he was afraid to lose, and then ask why he was afraid… But in any case the question has been discussed many times since 2021, when he first stated that it was unlikely he would play the 2023 match, and even more a year ago, when he came with the definitive decision.
What he said after beating Nepo in 2021 was: “It has been clear to me for most of the year that this world championship match should be the last. It does not mean as much anymore as it once did. I have not felt that the positive has outweighed the negative”
Last summer he said: “I’m not motivated to play another match. I don’t have a lot to gain. I don't particularly like it, and although I’m sure a match would be interesting for historical reasons, I don’t have any inclinations to play”
So I think it’s a motivation question. The matches are less about enjoying luxury hotels and tourist trips during rest days than about months of preparation with the team, and hard work throughout the matches. It would have been the sixth time in ten years, and together with all classical and rapid and blitz OTB tournaments, and online speed chess events etc, he just didn’t enjoy it.
Thank you for this elaborated answer.
I agree in many things you said. It's true, preparation for wcc is not easy. Some Magnus fans think he's so superior compared with the challenger that he doesn't need preparation.
If he needs so much preparation is because:
1) he's not so superior to challenger.
2) He's afraid to lose, otherwise he would play with what he's got now.
OK, let's suppose that he's not "afraid", that he just doesn't want to lose, but is not pure fear feeling. In that case, he still needs preparation, which is tedious and requires a big effort.
The motivation for doing a big effort needs a big reward. 1.2 million $ is not a big reward compared with dozens of millions earned by streaming with botez sisters.
As a conclusion, so far we have these possibilities:
1) he's too scared to lose, because reputation loss would affect business in other areas, such as streaming or selling books, apps, etc....
2) he's scared to lose and 1.2 million $ is not enough amount of money to compensate for the effort.
3) He's not so scared, but 1.2 million $ is not enough amount of money to compensate for the effort.
Magnus has always won World Chess Championships by a tiny difference, but whenever Nepo gets nervous he blunders like a 200 rating player.
Was Magnus afraid that Nepo learned to control his nerves for this WCC? If not, why Magnus rejected defending his tittle for WCC 2023??