“I simply don’t enjoy classical chess anymore,” he said. And maybe that’s the most relatable thing about him. Classical Chess Is a GrindLet’s face it: classical chess at the top level is brutal. Hours of prep, memorizing 20+ move theory trees, and then sitting for 6-hour games that often end in razor-thin draws. A Personal Goodbye (If This Is It)If this really is Magnus’s slow farewell to classical chess, I just want to say thanks.