Vladimir Kramnik Announces End of Professional Career

RCF President hopes that 14th World Champion will play at Chess Olympiad-2020.

The 14th World Champion Vladimir Kramnik has announced that he would retire from the professional sport after the end of the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee. 

Vladimir Kramnik: “I already decided to finish my professional chess career a couple of months ago and now, after having played my last tournament, I would like to announce it publicly.”

“The life of a professional chess player was a great journey and I am very thankful to chess for all it has given me. It has sometimes been difficult, sometimes more successful than I could ever imagine, but in any case it has been a priceless human experience for me. I have always tried my best to give it all from my side, being fully involved in it while working and playing chess.”

“I might still like to play a rapid or blitz chess tournament at times, or do a simultaneous like the Tata Steel Chess simultaneous in the Dutch parliament building this afternoon and will participate in various events connected with chess, popularising this great game.”

Head coach of the Russian national men's chess team, RCF President Andrey Filatov considers this decision to be "emotional and hasty".  

"Such an emotional announcement was caused by his unsuccessful performance in Wijk aan Zee. We believe that a chess player with such a great talent will continue to play and share his experience as a lecturer in Siruis and as a professional player. I hope and believe that I will see him playing at the World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk", said Andrey Filatov.

 

Photos by Eteri Kublashvili