Wang Hao declares retirement from professional chess

by André Schulz
4/28/2021 – In an interview after the last round of the Candidates Tournament, Wang Hao declared his retirement from professional chess, citing health issues as reason. However, he said he would continue to be involved in chess. Here's a short portrait and the interview. | Photo: Screenshot from the interview at the Candidates Tournament

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Wang Hao – A chess career

The Chinese Grandmaster Wang Hao was born on 4 August 1989 in Harbin and started playing tournament chess at a very early age. In 1999 he won the bronze medal at the U10 World Championship and in the 2002 U16 Chess Olympiad he won gold with the Chinese team, as he did in the 2004 U16 Chess Olympiad. With a score of 8 out of 9 he also won gold for the best result on board one in this tournament.

In 2005, Wang Hao surprisingly won the Dubai Open as an untitled player, finishing ahead of 53 Grandmasters and 30 International Masters. In 2005 he also won the 2nd Dato Arthur Tan Open in Kuala Lumpur, and at the end of year he finished first at the Zonal Tournament in Beijing.

In 2005 Wang Hao also became a Grandmaster and by the end of 2007 he was among the world's top 100.

His other successes include a 2nd place at the Asian Individual Championship in 2007 and third place at the World Junior U20 Championship in the same year. In 2008 Wang Hao won the Reykjavik Open and in 2010 the Chinese Individual Championship.

In 2012 he finished first at the GM tournament in Biel because the three-point rule placed him ahead of Magnus Carlsen, who would have won according to classical scoring. In the same year, Wang Hao finished first to third in the FIDE Grand Prix tournament in Tashkent.

In 2019 Wang Hao became Asian Champion and qualified for the 2020 Candidates Tournament by winning the Isle Of Man - Open (Grand Swiss). With a rating of 2758 that made him number 12 in the world, Wang Hao reached his Elo-peak in January 2019.

But after the last round of the Candidates Tournament Wang Hao announced his retirement from professional chess, citing health problems. He said that tournament chess would mean too much stress for him. However, he wants to continue working as a coach and said that he would also play exhibition matches.

Wang Hao announces retirement from professional chess

 

Links

Official site of the Candidates Tournament

André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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Mel Griffin Mel Griffin 4/29/2021 07:14
I hope his plans go the same way when Vassily Ivanchuk retired after a horrible display against Wesley So. It's like a wicked hangover. It passes.
thirteen thirteen 4/29/2021 11:57
Gentleman and role model, not to mention huge chess talent.
fgkdjlkag fgkdjlkag 4/28/2021 07:16
He does say at the beginning of the interview that he "will probably try to do" things other than professional chess, so I do not think we can say it is fully definitive at this point, although he says later in the interview that it is his intention currently.
Also from his description it sounds like a bona fide health problem.
Raymond Labelle Raymond Labelle 4/28/2021 04:35
It takes good health and solid nerves to play such high-level chess. We wish all the best to Wang Hao.
silicon pusher silicon pusher 4/28/2021 03:40
Pity; one of the most talented and creative chinese player.
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