FIDE Slams Freestyle Chess For Creating 'Unavoidable Divisions,' Threatens Legal Action

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has criticized Freestyle Chess for branding its upcoming Grand Slam tour as a "World Championship," claiming the move threatens to divide the chess community and warning of potential legal action.

The ongoing dispute between FIDE and the Freestyle Chess Players Club (FCPC), intensified on Tuesday when the world-governing chess body issued a stern warning to the organization, run by German businessman Jan Henric Buettner and co-founded by GM Magnus Carlsen. The FCPC invites players with a classical rating above 2725.

FIDE Statement regarding the “Freestyle Chess” project

With regard to the recent communications from the “Freestyle Chess Players Club” (“FCPC”), FIDE states the following:

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the only internationally recognized governing body of… pic.twitter.com/9F7o4iLH99

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) January 21, 2025

The duo founded the $4 million 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour which is set to kick off with Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Weissenhaus and the world's top players on February 7. Four additional events are scheduled in Paris, Delhi, New York, and Cape Town later this year.

The series intends to showcase Chess960, the chess variant where the back-rank pieces are shuffled, nullifying computer-assisted opening preparations and emphasizing creativity.

However, the project has led to pushback by FIDE for its branding, as the series has presented itself as a world championship. FIDE said:

While we have always remained open to cooperation with private organizations and initiatives across the chess community, FIDE retains its supreme role with respect to the rules, titles, and ratings. FIDE's status and global responsibilities towards the chess community are distinct and non-negotiable.

FIDE retains its supreme role with respect to the rules, titles, and ratings. FIDE's status and global responsibilities towards the chess community are distinct and non-negotiable.

—FIDE statement

Freestyle Chess, most commonly known as Chess960 or Fischer Random, gained significant popularity after the inaugural 2024 Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge, won by Carlsen, followed by a Freestyle Chess match between Carlsen and Caruana in Singapore in November. Chess.com has also partnered with Freestyle Chess and recently announced weekly Freestyle Friday prize-tournaments, similar to Titled Tuesday. and the variant is bound to play a major role on the chess calendar in 2025.

FIDE last held official Chess960 world championships in Norway in 2019 (won by GM Wesley So) and in Iceland in 2022 (won by GM Hikaru Nakamura), but did not find an organizer for events in 2023 and 2024.

The governing body argues that FCPC's initiative threatens to undermine its established role and obligations to the global chess community.

The attempts by FCPC to present their project as a World Championship are in contradiction with the well-established status of FIDE and its authority over world championship titles in all relevant variations of chess - including Chess960/Freestyle chess, as outlined in the FIDE Handbook.

The world-governing chess body also warned of a possible split in the chess world, as with Garry Kasparov's PCA in the 90s.

The steps taken by the FCPC project unavoidably lead to divisions in the chess world - and we remember all too well the unfortunate consequences of a similar split that happened in the not so distant past.

The steps taken by the FCPC project unavoidably lead to divisions in the chess world - and we remember all too well the unfortunate consequences of a similar split that happened in the not so distant past.

—FIDE statement

The statement is unlikely to help improve Carlsen's rocky relationship with FIDE. Last month, the Norwegian was fined $200 for wearing jeans in the World Rapid Championship in New York. When given an ultimatum that he needed to change before round nine or not be paired, he refused and withdrew from the event, and the following World Blitz Championship.

The eight-time blitz world champion eventually made a U-turn after discussions with FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich, and went on to play (and win), but expressed frustration with how players in the FCPC had been "threatened," in his words, in case they took part in a separate world championship.

Carlsen has been supported by Nakamura, who said he considered not participating in New York due to FIDE's actions. The reigning Chess960 world champion shared his own thoughts on the situation in this video released shortly after FIDE's statement.

Dvorkovich recently stated that FIDE will not sanction players who take part in this year's tour. FIDE noted in its last statement that players qualified for the ongoing 2025-2026 World Championship cycle will be requested to sign an additional contract that will include a new clause.

"Any variation of chess not approved by FIDE [except for the Freestyle tour in 2025] would lead to their withdrawal from the two consecutive FIDE World Championship cycles."

FIDE said they are accommodating their calendar to allow players to take part in this year's Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, but noted that this accommodation is contingent on FCPC refraining from labeling the series as a “World Championship.”

Should such an agreement not be reached, FIDE demands that the Freestyle series does not carry the status of a “World Championship”. FIDE will not hesitate to use all legal means against those who violate its rights - be it initiators, organizers and/or investors of the project.

Chess.com has reached out to Jan Henric Buettner for a comment to the statement.