Garry Kasparov to announce shock retirement?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Moscow
  • Last updated on

former World Chess Champion created a stir on Tuesday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.

Sad news for Kasparov fans. Speculation had been rife that former World Chess Champion is about to announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 62, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 18/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a chess grandmaster isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a chess grandmaster just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouGarry

For a little while on Tuesday evening, #ThankYouGarry was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Garry Kasparov was unlike any other chess grandmaster we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouGarry”
— @universalObserver, 17 Mar 2026
“Kasparov wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 17 Mar 2026

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