09:23
February 13, 2017

Magnus Carlsen will not come to Khanty-Mansiysk to participate in the FIDE World Team Championship that will take place on June 16-27. The reigning champion is participating in the Grand Chess Tour in Paris.

Magnus Carlsen led Norway to its historically best fifth place on 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku thus giving his country a chance to participate in World Team Championship among top-10 men’s teams.

The president of the Norway Chess Federation Morten Madsen says that the reason of this decision are contractual obligations of the player. However, the manager of current Chess World Champion Espen Agdestein has criticized Carlsen for not participating in the World Team Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk. “This is very sad, as this is the only chance for the team of Norway which will possibly not come again for a long time. From this point of view this decision is not wise” – says Agdestein.

In accordance with the rules of the World Chess Federation, representatives of China, USA, Ukraine, Russia, Egypt, India, Norway, Turkey and Poland will take part in the World Team Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk. Teams of Georgia, China, Poland, Ukraine, Egypt, Russia, India, USA and Vietnam will compete at the Women’s World Team Championship. One more team for each event will get wildcard from FIDE President and be announced later.

It is to be reminded that on December’1’2016 Carlsen defeated Russian GM Sergey Karjakin in World Chess Championship winning rapid-game playoff with a victories in the third and fourth games after draws in the first two. Winning the match Magnus Carlsen retained world chess champion title.

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