FIDE Eases Pressure on World Champion D Gukesh for ‘Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour’
FIDE Eases Pressure on World Champion D Gukesh for ‘Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour’
FIDE, the world chess body, has made a significant decision to ease the pressure off World Champion D Gukesh of India, ensuring his participation in the upcoming ‘Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour’. The dispute arose over the use of the title ‘World Championship’ by the event organisers, leading to a public spat between FIDE and the organisers.
The opening round of the ‘Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour’ is scheduled to take place at Weissenhaus in Germany from February 7 to 14. Initially, Gukesh’s participation was in jeopardy due to the disagreement between FIDE and the event organisers.
In a statement released on Tuesday, FIDE announced that players no longer need to sign a waiver note to participate in the 2025 ‘Freestyle Chess Tour’. This change of heart was prompted by the organisers removing the reference to the ‘World Championship’ title from their regulations.
The dispute had escalated to involve World No 1 Magnus Carlsen, who co-promotes the event. Carlsen and his co-promoter had accused FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich of lying and called for his resignation.
FIDE’s objection to the use of the ‘World Championship’ title stemmed from the fact that the event was not open to all players, as a true World Championship should be. The global chess body emphasized the importance of transparent qualification pathways in determining a true World Champion.
Despite the controversy, the opening leg of the Grand Slam Tour will feature top players like Carlsen, Nakamura, Caruana, and Gukesh. Viswanathan Anand, FIDE’s Deputy President, had withdrawn from the event, allowing 19-year-old Uzbek star Javokhir Sindarov to join the lineup.
As the reigning World Champion, Gukesh’s participation in the high-profile event should not be a problem, given FIDE’s decision to relax the requirements for players. The chess world eagerly anticipates the exciting competition that lies ahead in the ‘Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour’.