Viswanathan Anand to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Anand fans. Speculation had been rife that former world chess champion is about to announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 56, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 21/03/2026 : 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.

#ThankYouViswanathan

For a little while on Friday evening, #ThankYouViswanathan 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.

“Viswanathan Anand was unlike any other chess grandmaster we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouViswanathan”
— @universalObserver, 20 Mar 2026

“Anand wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 20 Mar 2026

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