Viswanathan Anand Withdraws from Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Amid FCPC-FIDE War

Chess legend Viswanathan Anand has decided to pull out of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, adding another twist to the ongoing war between the FIDE and the Freestyle Chess Players’ Club (FCPC).

The FIDE, the international chess governing body, has been at odds with the FCPC, co-owned by Magnus Carlsen, over the recognition of a Freestyle World Championship. The FCPC has publicly criticized the FIDE, with co-owner Jan Heinric Buettner alleging that the FIDE demanded $500,000 for the rights to use the world championship title name.

In a recent interview, Buettner also revealed that the FIDE had set a deadline of February 3, with a clause that players who compete in a non-FIDE World Championship would be excluded from the cycle for the next four years. Buettner predicted that none of the top players would sign the FIDE contract.

Viswanathan Anand’s decision to pull out of the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour comes as a blow to the FCPC, as he was scheduled to face top players like D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen. Anand, who is also FIDE’s deputy president, withdrew from the tournament on short notice, according to a statement on the FCPC website.

Anand’s withdrawal adds another chapter to the ongoing feud between the FIDE and the FCPC, with tensions running high between the two organizations. The chess legend’s decision to step away from the tournament will surely have an impact on the dynamics of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour.

As the war between the FIDE and the FCPC continues to escalate, chess fans around the world will be watching closely to see how this conflict unfolds and what it means for the future of the sport.