7 months ago
FIDE and Freestyle Chess end feud
FIDE and Freestyle Chess, which used to argue a lot, have now become friends.
They decided to work together to organize a big chess tournament called the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship.
This tournament will happen in Germany in February 2026.
Eight players, including Magnus Carlsen, will compete.
Six of them qualified through a previous tournament, and the remaining two spots will be filled by choices from Freestyle Chess and FIDE.
This is a good thing because now everyone can enjoy chess without fighting.
FIDE and Freestyle Chess have ended their feud and will co-organize the inaugural FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship.
The event will take place in Weissenhaus, Germany, from 13 to 15 February 2026.
Eight players will compete, including Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann.
Six players qualified via the Grand Slam Tour, with Freestyle Chess and FIDE each picking one additional player.
The collaboration aims to benefit players, FIDE, and Freestyle Chess, avoiding past issues with rival championships.
- Who
- FIDE and Freestyle Chess, co-founded by Magnus Carlsen and Jan Henric Buettner
- What
- End of feud and announcement of the inaugural FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship
- Where
- Weissenhaus, Germany
- When
- Event to be held from 13 to 15 February 2026
- Why
- To avoid rival championships and benefit players and organizations
FIDE
Freestyle Chess
Organizing World Championships
FIDE
FIDE believes only they have the right to organize official World Championships to avoid rival events.
Freestyle Chess
Freestyle Chess initially aimed to organize their own World Championship without FIDE's approval.
Collaboration
FIDE
FIDE initially refused to collaborate with Freestyle Chess, leading to a feud.
Freestyle Chess
Freestyle Chess focused on their own tour after the collaboration fell apart.
Key facts
- Organizations Involved
- FIDE, Freestyle Chess
- Key Figures
- Magnus Carlsen, Jan Henric Buettner, Arkady Dvorkovich
- Event
- Inaugural FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship
- Date
- 13 to 15 February 2026
- Location
- Weissenhaus, Germany
- Participants
- Eight players, including Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann
- Qualification
- Six players qualified via Grand Slam Tour; Freestyle Chess and FIDE each pick one player
Quotes
Jan Henric Buettner
Co-founder of Freestyle Chess and German entrepreneur
“With Arkady (Dvorkovich, FIDE President), I had a very good understanding. We nearly had an agreement a year ago. We were actually finalising the wording of a press release. And then, at the very last moment, it somehow fell apart. I don’t know how. I don’t want to speculate, but it was kind of very weird.”
firstpost.com
“And so the whole thing turned from cooperation into confrontation. Then we focused on our own tour and didn’t really bother with it anymore. I think time did its work… We basically reconnected.”
firstpost.com
