Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Faces Uncertainty as New Delhi Leg in Jeopardy

The highly-anticipated Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour is set to kick off in Weissenhaus, Germany on February 7, but controversy is already brewing in the chess world. According to Freestyle Chess’ official website, the India leg of the tour was scheduled to take place in New Delhi from September 17-24 this year. However, a recent development has put this event in jeopardy.

The Freestyle Chess Players Club (FCPC), which includes top players like D Gukesh, Magnus Carlsen, and Hikaru Nakamura, received official recognition from FIDE in December 2024. But now, the FIDE is at odds with FCPC, with FCPC co-owner Jan Henric Buettner accusing FIDE of demanding $500,000 for the rights to use the world championship title. Buettner has threatened to take FIDE to court over the matter.

In response, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky has defended the organization’s right to the world championship title and has accused Carlsen of trying to disrupt the chess ecosystem. The situation escalated further when Viswanathan Anand, FIDE deputy president, withdrew from the Freestyle Grand Slam’s first leg, indicating his support for FIDE in the ongoing dispute.

This development has put the India leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in jeopardy, as Buettner revealed in an interview that India could be dropped from the tournament’s 2025 calendar due to a lack of a suitable investor. Other cities are reportedly offering hosting fees, and if a lucrative offer comes in, the tournament may be moved to a different location.

Despite the controversy, the first leg of the Grand Slam Tour will feature India’s R Pragnanandhaa and D Gukesh in action in Germany. The chess world is eagerly watching to see how this dispute between FCPC and FIDE will unfold and whether New Delhi will ultimately miss out on hosting the highly-anticipated matchup between D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen.