Former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik has announced his retirement after a bad tournament in the Netherlands. The grandmaster stressed that for him, sports became a great journey. European champion Ian Nepomniachtchi said that his 43-year-old colleague has long talked about wanting to break up with chess, another former holder of the world crown, Alexander Khalifman, questioned the possible return of Kramnik.
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“Thought about it a couple of months ago”
The decision to finish career, Kramnik was adopted immediately after the end of the super tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, and the statement appeared on the official website of the competition.
“Thought about it a couple of months ago, and now, having played their last tournament, wish to announce it publicly. The life of a professional chess player was a great journey and I am very grateful to chess for everything they gave me. Sometimes it was hard, sometimes much better than I could have imagined, but in any case it was an invaluable experience for me. I always struggled trying to show all that capable, and was always fully immersed in the work,” said Kramnik.
He also added that, despite the end of his sports career, is not going to completely abandon the performances in the tournaments.
“I would occasionally take part in tournaments rapid chess or blitz or hold tournaments, similar to what passed in the Parliament building of the Netherlands, as well as participate in various activities related to chess and their promotion”, — said Kramnik.
It is not excluded that difficult decision, former world champion took on the emotions after a disastrous performance in Wijk-Aan-Zee, as in March last year Kramnik has stated that he intends to play for 2-3 years.
“I will continue, for a while. While I can play at a good level and to get pleasure from it. But there will come a time when it would be difficult to do, and I’m done with chess. Garry Kasparov retired at 42 years old, and I also thought that he will retire from professional sport at this age. But now I’m third in the FIDE rating list, once again got the chance to compete for the chess crown”, — quotes the words of Kramnik “news”.
However, subsequent events could have an impact on the player frustrating. In March, he suffered a setback at the candidates tournament in Berlin, where he took only the fifth place, although after the first rounds was in the lead. In the end, the chance to fight for the world crown from current champion Magnus Carlsen received the American Fabiano Caruana.
Failures were waiting for experienced chess players in the future. In July, he remained tenth on the stage of the Grand Chess Tour in Paris, and then took sixth place at the tournament in Dortmund.
In the fall of Kramnik with Sergey Karyakin, Nikita Vitiugov and Ian Nepomniachtchi took the offensive third place at the world chess Olympiad in Batumi. The national team only on additional indicators, behind China and the United States.
Later, the ex-world champion without much success went to the international tournament in the Isle of man, where he shared the places from third to ninth. The failure led to the fall of Kramnik in the FIDE rating list, and in late November it dropped to ninth place. The last straw for him was the tournament in Wijk-Aan-Zee, where he won just two of and share last place with Jordana van forest. In the past year, Kramnik took the third place.
World champion and “toilet scandal”
Kramnik will forever go down in history as the 14th world champion. Talented chess player, graduated from the school of the famous grandmaster Mikhail Botvinnik and loudly declared itself at a very young age. Kramnik became the world champion among boys under 16 and under 18 years.
And at the age of 25 in 2000, the Russian chess player has won world crowns at the version of Professional chess Association, the defeating Garry Kasparov. Four years later, Kramnik defended the title against Peter Leko.
But the main event in the career of a grandmaster occurred in 2006, when was the unification match for the chess crown with the champion under version FIDE Veselin Topalov.
The match has long history. Take, for example, the so-called toilet scandal which broke out after Topalov’s team accused Kramnik too frequent visits to the restroom. The Bulgarian chess player is suspected that in the bathroom the opponent can get hints from the computer. As a result, the match was continued, but the spirit of athletic Association of speech does not go, and the opponents even talked to the journalists separately.
The main cycle of confrontation ended in a draw — 6:6, and the tie-break, Kramnik still leant Topalov and became the 14th world champion. However, next year the Russians have lost their crown, losing her Vishy Anand.
“You really have to admire what he has done for chess”
Meanwhile, in the world of chess Kramnik’s decision to retire has caused conflicting emotions. Some admitted that they were not surprised by this step the former world champion. Others noted that he could still play. For example, this opinion was expressed by the triple world champion Anatoly Karpov.
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“I think the theater early enough and decided to leave chess. Apparently, he is psychologically not be able to survive a bad result at the last tournament, the game had not evolved. I though he was a few years ago, said he was willing to leave large chess. But once resigned to the thoughts that you have to leave, again played well”, — quotes the words of grandmaster TASS.
According to Karpov, Kramnik may come back to the sport and to Express themselves.
“Volodya, it is necessary to put in order the nervous system, and maybe we will again see the old Kramnik. I hope he will return to professional chess. This solution is human. If he wants only to win the tournaments, it is a difficult age. For the League matches he has several years did not go”, — said Karpov.
But the champion of Europe and Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi in an interview with RT, admitted that Kramnik has long talked about wanting to finish his career.
“He noted that as soon as you cease to get pleasure from games or results will decline, leave. No idea how hard it dalos this decision. All the fans regret the fact that Vladimir decided to finish with the sport. I think the decision was made before the latest tournament, and not on emotions. For me, this is sad news. When I read it, was shocked. Yes, the last time his results were not so convincing, but he will forever remain one of the greatest players of our time,” said the grandmaster.
But another former world champion, Alexander Khalifman, thank Kramnik for a beautiful career.
“The infinite it can not be. The ability to leave time — is also a talent. Can only admire all that he did for chess, and recall his bright victory”, — said the player in an interview with RT.
While Khalifman questioned that Kramnik could after some time return to the sport.
“It’s not in his rules, he is a man of a different stamp, and will not be influenced by a few bad results to pop on the table. I attribute the tiredness. Despite the fact that in the last year signs of high skill, of course, was present, it was obvious that physically he was getting harder. Forces almost missed… And 2-3 strong party for the tournament and the overall average performance is clearly not what he would like,” added the ex-champion of the world.