14th World Chess Champion Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik, one of the greatest players of all times, announced on Tuesday his retirement from professional chess, at only 43 years of age and in spite of being still ranked among the first ten players of the world. Kramnik also revealed that he made his decision a couple of months ago, but only now he decided to announce it publicly, after spending the last year rebuilding himself amid the ups and downs of his frail health — he long suffers from rheumatoid arthritis.
Most Russian chess VIPs, including 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov, Russian Chess Federation President Andrey Vasilievich Filatov, and 6th FIDE President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov, expressed their regret at Kramnik’s farewell, and passionately wished him to reconsider his decision. 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov, too, had special words for his long-time rival: “Only the player knows when it is time to leave the stage. I welcome Kramnik to the World Champion retirees club, and I wish him every success in finding a new passion in his life as I have”, he tweeted. |
Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik. Photo © EPA-EFE/Omer Messinger.
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