Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
In a recent video, Hikaru Nakamura commented on FIDE's explanation of the Freestyle Chess project. The Freestyle Chess Organisation's aim is to upgrade its Freestyle Chess Tour to a Freestyle Chess World Championship. Freestyle Chess is a new brand name for chess with randomly-selected starting positions, previously called FischerRandom Chess or Chess 960 (for the number of possible positions).
Hamburg businessman Jan Henric Buettner and Magnus Carlsen both enjoy this innovative form of chess and have set up a company to promote Freestyle Chess. Last year the Weissenhaus Luxury Resort hosted a magnificent first tournament with Magnus Carlsen, many other top players and Vincent Keymer representing the host country. Buettner and Carlsen have found sponsors to finance a real tour, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, and are organising five tournaments on four continents for 2025, with Weissenhaus, Paris, New York, Delhi and Cape Town as tournament venues. A further tournament is planned.
Prior to the 2024 World Chess Championship match in Singapore in November, there was a kick-off event in consultation with the World Chess Federation (FIDE), including Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, at which the Freestyle Chess Tour was announced. The possibility of cooperation regarding a Freestyle World Championship was also discussed, and FIDE was not opposed to handing over the organisation of Freestyle Chess. But then things got complicated.
It is not known exactly where the differences arose. However, anyone who has ever organised an official FIDE chess tournament knows that it is a challenging experience. In addition to the real costs of organisation, there are, for example, many fees and royalties for FIDE officials, whose job description is clear on the royalty slip, but not their function. In addition, FIDE wants to determine the start of the tournaments down to the last detail.
In the course of the negotiations the fronts seem to have hardened and some observers believe that the jeans incident at the Rapid World Championship in New York - Magnus Carlsen was well dressed, but not well enough for FIDE - could be related to this. In any case, Carlsen reacted very angrily. Carlsen, Nakamura and apparently Caruana too are said to have threatened not to take part in the World Rapid and Blitz Championships.
With its statement on all social media, FIDE has once again added fuel to the fire, even if the tone seems moderate. The World Chess Federation insists on its right to the brand name "World Chess Championship" and is thus in conflict with many top players. They would like to play a World Championship in FischerRandom (or Freestyle Chess) and point out that FIDE has not been able to organise one in the last two years.
This is also Hikaru Nakamura's position, which he explained in a video stream. Nakamura cannot understand FIDE's position: "FIDE is just, I guess, worried about losing control or power or something insane, but it’s just not good for chess." Nakamura calls on the top chess professionals to take a stand against FIDE and its obstructionist policy.
Emil Sutovsky points out that the top players have signed a four-year contract with FIDE in which they agree not to take part in any other world championship.
Emil Sutovsky's reply to Hikaru Nakamura's video
Since you tagged me, I have to share the following:
— Emilchess (@EmilSutovsky) January 22, 2025
A - all the players, including Magnus and Hikaru actually signed a binding obligation to not participate in any "World Championship" not approved by FIDE for the period of four years. Magnus signed it in 2023, other top players…