Fide and Magnus Carlsen at odds over Freestyle Chess World Championship

The ongoing feud between world chess governing body Fide and reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen over the promotion of Freestyle Chess (chess960) has taken a new turn with Fide issuing a strong statement against the Freestyle Chess Players Club (FCPC).

The tension between Fide and Carlsen came to the forefront during the world rapid and blitz championships in New York, where the issue of running a Freestyle Chess World Championship was a major point of contention. Fide has been staunchly opposed to the idea, citing concerns about division within the chess world.

In response to the FCPC’s plans to organize a World Championship, Fide has taken a firm stand, stating that it will not allow any private organization to run a parallel World Championship. The body has warned players against participating in any alternative world chess championships not approved by Fide, threatening to exclude them from two consecutive Fide World Championship cycles if they breach the contract.

Despite the standoff, Fide has shown a willingness to accommodate the 2025 Freestyle Chess series in the calendar as a gesture of goodwill. The first event of the year is scheduled to take place in Weisenhaus, Germany in February, with some of the world’s top players, including Carlsen, Caruana, and Nakamura, set to participate.

Fide has made it clear that it will not hesitate to use legal means against those who violate its rights and has called on the FCPC to refrain from presenting their project as a World Championship. The body has expressed openness to dialogue and reaching a mutually acceptable agreement, but has emphasized that the Freestyle series should not carry the status of a World Championship without Fide’s approval.

As the chess world awaits further developments in this ongoing saga, the future of Freestyle Chess and its place within the broader chess community remains uncertain.