FIDE, the global governing body for chess, has announced that Magnus Carlsen has withdrawn from the Candidates 2024 with the last spot at the eight-man event going to Nijat Abasov. The Candidates event is held to find a challenger to the reigning world champion.
World No 1 Carlsen, who has claimed the Classical World Chess Championship crown five times, had relinquished his throne ahead of the last Candidates event in 2022. Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren had finished in the top 2 at that Candidates and had faced off in the World Chess Championship last year which was won by the Chinese star.
The winner of the Candidates in April this year will take on China’s Ding in the next world championship.
Carlsen had secured a spot for himself at the upcoming Candidates — which will be held in Toronto along with the women’s Candidates tournament — by winning the FIDE World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.
“Despite qualifying for the Candidates Tournament 2024 by winning the FIDE World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, World No 1 Magnus Carlsen officially withdrew from the event. Carlsen had previously stated his disinclination after reaching the semifinals of the World Cup and in some private interviews, however, the formal Letter of Decline was received by FIDE today,” FIDE said in a statement.
“According to the FIDE Candidates qualification paths, the vacant spot at the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024 will go to the next highest‐finisher in the final FIDE World Cup standings, Nijat Abasov (2641, Azerbaijan), who finished fourth at the tournament.”
Here are the eight men who will be competing at the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024:
Ian Nepomniachtchi, FIDE, 2023 Match Runner-up
Praggnanandhaa R, India, 2023 World Cup 2nd
Fabiano Caruana, USA, 2023 World Cup 3rd
Nijat Abasov, Azerbaijan, 2023 World Cup 4th
Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, India, 2023 Grand Swiss 1st
Hikaru Nakamura, USA, 2023 Grand Swiss 2nd
Alireza Firouzja, France, Best by Rating
Gukesh D, India, 2023 FIDE Circuit Winner
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