Carlsen will not defend the title at the 2023 World Chess Championship

World chess number one Magnus Carlsen announced on Wednesday that he does not want to defend his world title in 2023, but stressed that he would not retire from chess.

“I’m not motivated to play another match…I just feel like I don’t have much to win. I don’t like it much,” Carlsen said on the first episode of his podcast, The Magnus Effect.

Carlsen has repeatedly hinted that, bored with a title he’s held for nearly 10 years, he may give up his throne without a fight.

The 31-year-old defeated Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi 7.5-3.5 in his fifth consecutive victorious title match last December.

“While I’m sure a match would be interesting for history and all that, I have no desire to play and I just won’t play the match,” Carlsen told the podcast released Wednesday.

A sixth successful title fight would have drawn Carlsen level with German Emanuel Lasker, the 1894-1921 champion, and Soviet Mikhail Botvinnik.

Botvinnik held the title between 1948 and 1963, although he lost and regained the title twice during that period and his two successful defenses ended in draws.

“Overall, I feel like it’s time to leave the World Cup games. I’m not ruling out a return in the future, but I wouldn’t count on it too much,” said Carlsen.

But Carlsen also emphasized that he will not retire from the sport.

“Just so there’s no ambiguity here, I’m not retiring from chess, I’ll still be an active player.”