Freestyle vs. FIDE - An open letter and a "one-off exception"

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
2/3/2025 – The conflict between Freestyle Chess and the International Chess Federation (FIDE) has intensified after Jan Henric Buettner, representing Freestyle Chess, released an open letter criticizing FIDE's approach to negotiations over the recognition of the Freestyle Chess Tour. The letter alleges player coercion and broken agreements. In response, FIDE issued a press release reaffirming its authority over World Championship titles and setting conditions for players participating in the Freestyle Chess Tour. | Photo: ChessBase India

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Back and forth

Jan Henric Buettner, founder of the Freestyle Chess Tour, has published an open letter addressing FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, following the difficulties that arose during negotiations between Freestyle Chess and FIDE. The letter, released today, outlines Buettner's frustration with FIDE's handling of discussions and criticizes Dvorkovich's leadership, alleging inconsistency and a failure to honour prior commitments.

Buettner recounts an extensive exchange of messages with Dvorkovich, which initially suggested progress toward an agreement between FIDE and Freestyle Chess. However, he claims that FIDE abruptly reversed course, issuing a public statement rejecting any agreement due to Freestyle's unwillingness to recognize FIDE as the sole governing body of world chess championships. Buettner asserts that Freestyle Chess had made significant concessions, including financial contributions to FIDE events and allowing FIDE oversight in various aspects of the tour, yet FIDE's insistence on absolute regulatory control led to the breakdown of discussions.

In his letter, Buettner accuses FIDE of coercing players into signing what he describes as a legally dubious waiver, preventing their participation in Freestyle Chess tournaments without FIDE's explicit permission. He further criticizes what he perceives as FIDE's pattern of pressuring players, drawing parallels to previous disputes involving Magnus Carlsen and his father Henrik Carlsen. As a response, Freestyle Chess has announced the postponement of its World Championship title decision by ten months, stating that its events will now be referred to as the "Grand Slam Tour" to avoid forcing players into a difficult position with FIDE.

Shortly after the release of Buettner's letter, FIDE issued a formal press statement addressing the situation. The organization confirmed that negotiations had taken place but reiterated that no agreement was reached due to Freestyle Chess' refusal to recognize FIDE's regulatory authority. According to FIDE, its proposed waiver would have granted Freestyle Chess Tour participants an exception from existing contractual obligations related to FIDE's official World Championship cycle. However, FIDE maintained that a legitimate World Championship must adhere to transparent qualification processes rather than being an invitation-based event.

FIDE reiterated that Freestyle Chess participants must sign the waiver by February 4 to remain eligible for official FIDE World Championship events. However, FIDE added that if Freestyle Chess removes any reference to a "World Championship" from its event, such restrictions would not apply. Despite the ongoing dispute, FIDE affirmed its openness to further discussions, provided that they align with its established regulations and governance framework.

Find below Buettner's open letter and FIDE's press release...


Buettner's open letter

February 3, 2025

Dear Arkady,

After you sent me all your WhatsApp messages yesterday afternoon and this morning (in the following order - among others - within only 20 hours):

  • "I will study quickly, and I agree that in case we agree on all key points it would be good to sign today." (Draft press release)
  • "Yes, that was my understanding of your proposal."
  • "As the previous steps have been endorsed by our boards, I will have to share with them the latest key points, so that they endorse (or not) my subsequent actions."
  • "Please put it (phone) aside for 3 hours as some people are on the other side of the ocean."
  • "I think you did a great job looking for a solution. We are much closer to it but based on the opinions of my colleagues we are not there."
  • "I do believe we have chances to correct the situation and I am open to continue the dialogue."
  • "Really appreciate your message, I will go all in to find a solution quickly."
  • "We have a call with the council today to take a decision, so the deadline (for the Players to sign something) will be moved anyway."
  • "I am still working constructively on the deal."
  • "I will be in the air for some time in case you see that I am not responding."

...and while you are obviously still "in the air", FIDE posted their statement this morning:

Despite intensive negotiations, the FIDE Council states that there is currently no agreement regarding the Freestyle Tour. This is due to the other party’s refusal to acknowledge FIDE's status as the sole regulator of World Chess Championships and its authority to award a World Championship title.

At the very least, it means that you will have to resign immediately from your position as President, because you have now proven for the third time within two months that you cannot even speak for FIDE. Your lack of leadership skills will be costly for FIDE, as all the negotiation points are now becoming public with this open letter and its attachments.

The rest of this letter is therefore addressed to you and whoever is (or feels) in charge at FIDE:

I am writing this open letter following four days of intensive negotiations – only to experience an unfortunate sense of déjà vu at the end. Once again, I find myself in the same situation as on December 5, after weeks of negotiations and endless WhatsApp exchanges. On November 27, you even wrote, "I am struggling to interpret your silence," when I was simply unable to respond for a few hours due to being on a plane.

Throughout this process, I have been consistently responsive and proactive in finding solutions to the issues you have presented – even now, working past midnight every day to address them. However, on December 5, after telling me you would get back to me following discussions with your colleagues, you never did.

Instead, FIDE initiated a campaign of harassment and strong-arming against the players – a campaign that continues to this day. The arbitrary deadline of February 3, imposed on players to sign a one-sided document drafted by FIDE's Legal Director, is one you know to be legally dubious especially given FIDE’s market-dominant position.

Magnus and Henrik Carlsen faced a similar experience with you in January, realizing that trust in FIDE's leadership has eroded. I will leave it to Henrik to decide whether to share with a broader audience the value of your personal guarantees.

Now, in less than two months, we are witnessing this pattern for a third time. While you have been negotiating "in good faith" with me over the past four days, FIDE has simultaneously continued pressuring players to sign the illegal document by today's deadline.

This, despite our formal request on behalf of the players to extend the deadline to February 15, so they could focus on their games and seek legal counsel if needed. You have not even responded to that letter (attached here for the world to see).

To ensure full transparency, and to make it clear to the "world" (a word that FIDE claims to have the right to demand a license fee for), we hereby publish the detailed result of our negotiations – the draft press release intended for February 3, along with the mutually agreed "co-regulated" Rules and Regulations document.

Every word of these seven pages was agreed upon between Arkady (personally or on behalf of FIDE?), and me on behalf of Freestyle. Therein, Freestyle made very significant concessions to FIDE, aligning with almost all their stated goals:

  • FIDE's desired "respect" and acknowledgement of "high standards of communication"
  • Co-regulation of our (Freestyle’s) Rules and Regulations
  • Coordination of schedules and adherence to FIDE's rating rule authority
  • Commitment to ensuring 50% non-top-seeded player participation at Grand Slam events
  • FIDE representation at the Freestyle Chess World Champion's crowning ceremony
  • An annual financial contribution of $300,000 to a FIDE-controlled tournament

Freestyle agreed to all these terms – despite being independently financed and organized events, with no connection to FIDE – purely in the interest of protecting the players from further harassment and coercion (see Point 7 in the draft press release).

Just hours ago, I urged you not to discard all the progress you achieved for FIDE over these past four days due to personal grievances. Despite this, I find myself once again in the same position, holding the finalized results of countless hours of work, now being worthless.

No one on our side understood what more FIDE could possibly want beyond what we have already outlined in these documents – until today, when FIDE posted their statement. Evidently, it was not enough to grant FIDE de facto co-regulation over every aspect of our Rules and Regulations, nor to include FIDE representation at the crowning ceremony. FIDE now demands that Freestyle officially recognize it as the sole regulator of all chess-related competitions. Are they now claiming authority over events like the Bughouse Chess World Championship as well?

It is unfortunate that FIDE has resorted to coercion, applying pressure on young and innocent players to force their compliance. Freestyle remains committed to protecting players from FIDE's questionable tactics. To ensure that no player is forced into a difficult position, we have decided – effective immediately, as of February 3 – to postpone the decision to award the title of "World Champion" to the winner of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour for an additional 10 months.

The final leg of the 2025 Freestyle Grand Slam Tour will take place in South Africa in December. By default, this event will determine the highest-ranked player of the calendar year based on accumulated points. Until then, Freestyle tournaments will continue under the title of "Grand Slams," and the entire series will remain the Grand Slam Tour.

This decision ensures that no player is forced to choose between signing the unlawful letter FIDE is coercing them into or facing its threatened consequences. To be clear: The current cycle is officially titled The Grand Slam Tour, as reflected in the finalized 2025 Rules and Regulations available on our website.

Publicly, FIDE claims that Freestyle is responsible for dividing the chess world. The reality is the opposite: it is FIDE that seeks to exert control over all chess competitions and impose its absolute authority on the players, thereby creating the very division of the chess world that they claim to oppose. Freestyle will challenge this overreach in the appropriate courts.

It has become clear that further negotiations are futile. As such, I am turning over communications to Freestyle's legal counsel.

Regards, Jan Henric Buettner


FIDE's press release

In recent days, FIDE has been engaged in extensive discussions with the "Freestyle Chess Tour" regarding the potential recognition of their event as a World Championship. Despite our willingness to collaborate - including offering a waiver to the participants of the planned 2025 competition, waiving the fee for the 2025 edition, and requesting an end to unfounded accusations against FIDE and undermining classical chess - no agreement was reached.

The "Freestyle Chess Tour" has chosen not to acknowledge FIDE's existing authority over the World Championship title and has opted to remain a privately organized tournament, primarily featuring hand-picked elite players, rather than an open and transparent qualification process.

A true World Championship must be inclusive, with transparent qualification pathways that follow FIDE's rules and regulations - established with the consensus of the global chess community - as seen in the FIDE World Championship cycle. Without these principles, the integrity of the title is at risk.

Taking this into consideration, players wishing to participate in the 2025 Freestyle Chess Tour event are required to sign the waiver note by 18:00 CET, February 4, 2025, to remain eligible for the official FIDE World Championship cycle. We note that this document does not impose new requirements on the players but provides them with a one-off exception from their existing contractual obligations towards FIDE.

However, if the "Freestyle Chess Tour" removes the "World Championship" title from their event, these restrictions will not apply.

FIDE remains open to collaboration, but we are firm in our commitment to protecting the integrity and history of the World Championship and the entire chess community.


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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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