Freestyle Chess Controversy: FIDE and FCPC Fail to Reach Agreement
The chess world was abuzz with controversy in the first week of February as the Freestyle Chess Players Club (FCPC) failed to reach an agreement with FIDE over organizing their own world championship tournament. The FCPC had received official recognition from the international body just before the year-ending World Rapid and Blitz Championship in 2024.
FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky addressed the Freestyle Chess controversy, stating that talks were being held over organizing a Freestyle World Championship. However, tensions escalated when Magnus Carlsen, who co-owns FCPC, accused FIDE of threatening players from participating in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour.
In an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times, Freestyle Chess co-owner Jan Henric Buettner revealed that he was close to reaching an agreement with FIDE and was in constant communication with president Arkady Dvorkovich. However, on February 3, FIDE released a statement saying that no agreement had been reached for an official world championship.
In response, Freestyle Chess released an open letter demanding Dvorkovich’s resignation. FIDE then asked players to sign a waiver note by February 4, stating their non-participation in FCPC’s non-FIDE-recognized world championship. Eventually, Freestyle Chess removed any mention of the world championship from their rules and regulations on their official website.
The controversy also involved younger players, including reigning world champion D Gukesh, who is a member of FCPC. Sutovsky clarified that the narrative among younger players was focused on the FIDE World Championship and the importance of the FIDE cycle.
The main reason for the failure to reach an agreement between FIDE and FCPC was the disagreement over FIDE’s authority as the governing body for the world championship. Sutovsky emphasized the importance of FIDE’s total authority in running events and raising funds for various programs.
Looking ahead, Sutovsky addressed potential future controversies in Freestyle Chess and emphasized FIDE’s willingness to cooperate with organizers and players. He also clarified that there was no pressure on Viswanathan Anand to withdraw from the Germany leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour.
As the chess world gears up for the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 and upcoming FIDE events, including the World Senior Team Championships and World Junior Championships, FIDE has announced an increase in prize money for all events by at least 30 percent from the previous edition. Fans can expect an exciting year ahead in the world of chess.