Archive · 10 Jan 2026
Nakamura Skips FIDE Freestyle Chess Championship
The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship is happening soon, and many top chess players are participating.
However, Hikaru Nakamura, who won a similar championship in 2022, decided not to join this one.
He wants to be remembered as the 2022 champion and is focusing on another important tournament called the Candidates.
The event will take place in Germany with seven big-name players and one spot still to be decided.
FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship to be held in Weissenhaus, Germany from February 13-15, 2025.
Seven top players qualified based on their performance in the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour.
Hans Niemann was chosen as the seventh player due to his outstanding performance in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas.
Hikaru Nakamura, the 2022 Fischer Random World Champion, chose not to participate to maintain his title and focus on the Candidates Tournament.
The final participant will be decided through an online qualification tournament on January 14-15, 2025.
- Who
- Hikaru Nakamura, Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Javokhir Sindarov, Hans Niemann, and one qualifier
- What
- FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship
- When
- February 13-15, 2025
- Where
- Weissenhaus, Germany
- Why
- Nakamura chose not to participate to maintain his 2022 Fischer Random World Champion title and is focusing on the Candidates Tournament
- Event
- FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship
- Date
- February 13-15, 2025
- Location
- Weissenhaus, Germany
- Participants
- Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Javokhir Sindarov, Hans Niemann, and one qualifier
- Nakamura's Title
- 2022 Fischer Random World Champion
- Qualification Tournament
- January 14-15, 2025
- Nakamura's Reason
- Prefers to be remembered as 2022 Fischer Random Champion
- Nakamura's Focus
- Preparing for Candidates Tournament