The negotiations between Freestyle Chess, led by its founders Jan Henric Buettner and GM Magnus Carlsen, and the International Chess Federation (FIDE) have collapsed and escalated into a deadlocked conflict. Freestyle Chess has backed down and postponed its decision to crown a world champion, but FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich is facing calls for his resignation.
The ongoing feud reached a boiling point on Monday after FIDE released a statement that no agreement had been made, saying Freestyle Chess had “chosen not to acknowledge FIDE’s existing authority over the World Championship title.”
In response, Buettner published his own letter accusing FIDE of backing out of negotiations that he claimed were near completion. The letter includes a series of private messages from Dvorkovich that appear to indicate that an agreement was imminent.
An open letter from Freestyle pic.twitter.com/mL2loBBNaS
— freestyle-chess (@chess_freestyle) February 3, 2025
“After you sent me all your WhatsApp messages yesterday afternoon and this morning—among others, within only 20 hours—… and while you are obviously still “in the air,“ FIDE posted their statement this morning,” Buettner wrote in his letter.
He referred to FIDE’s statement earlier on Monday that said there was no agreement “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.“
Buettner called for Dvorkovich’s resignation in his follow-up: “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.”
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.
—Jan Henric Buettner to Arkady Dvorkovich
Later on Monday, the dispute reached another level when Carlsen joined public calls for Dvorkovich to resign by posting on X/Twitter. He accused the head of the chess world-governing body of “Coercion of players, misuse of power and broken promises.”
He referenced a message sent to his father on December 19, before the World Rapid & Blitz Championship in New York, where Dvorkovich allegedly stated: “I will step down if my word will be undermined by the Council.”
I will step down if my word will be undermined by the Council.
—Arkady Dvorkovich to Henrik Carlsen
Coercion of players, misuse of power and broken promises.
FIDE President Dvorkovich, to convince me to play the Rapid & Blitz in New York, you wrote Dec 19th to my father:
«Just want to pass a message to you and Magnus that whatever happens between FIDE and Freestyle in terms…
— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) February 3, 2025
Carlsen, along with GM Hikaru Nakamura, had considered dropping out of the prestigious event over what they refer to as threats by FIDE that they would not be able to take part in the upcoming World Championship cycle should they take part in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.
The two star players decided to play in New York when given assurances by Dvorkovich that players would not be penalized, they said.
FIDE has been firmly against Freestyle Chess’ plans of crowning an official ‘world champion’ by the end of the tour. In January, they threatened legal action, arguing that contracts players signed prohibit them from participating in unsanctioned world championships.
Buettner previously responded to the threats by saying he was ready to fight the chess global body in court. “We are ready for war,” he said. “But if FIDE is ready for some sense, we are ready to speak to them.”
Last week the peace talks resumed. Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten quoted Buettner, who said they were close to an agreement with FIDE, which was also confirmed by Vice President Joran Aulin-Jansson.
Buettner further said that he had engaged in intensive discussions with Dvorkovich over four days, only to experience the same deadlock he encountered in previous negotiations. He highlighted Dvorkovich’s shifting positions, citing messages where the FIDE president expressed a willingness to finalize a deal, only for FIDE to later reject it outright.
He said: “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.”
“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.”
Buettner also revealed he was willing to make several concessions to FIDE to reach an agreement, such as co-regulation of tournament rules, compliance with FIDE’s scheduling policies, and an annual financial contribution of $300,000 to a FIDE-controlled tournament.
FIDE had previously accused Freestyle Chess of dividing the chess world, but Buettner accused the chess governing body of the same: “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 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.
—Jan Henric Buettner to Arkady Dvorkovich
FIDE defended its position and said that a legitimate world championship must be inclusive and adhere to transparent qualification standards. “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.”
❗️FIDE and the “Freestyle Chess Tour”: No agreement on World Championship recognition ❗️
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… pic.twitter.com/J0IW4dcaKC
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) February 3, 2025
FIDE has imposed a deadline of February 4 for players to sign a waiver allowing them to participate in Freestyle Chess and the next World Championship cycle. “If the ‘Freestyle Chess Tour’ removes the ‘World Championship’ title from their event, these restrictions will not apply,” the statement added.
GM Wesley So posted on Instagram:
Everyone is asking me about this so I feel I should respond honestly. I will respect my contractual obligations to FIDE and abide by them. Signing a contract is your word of honor. I will try to do well and participate in the next FIDE World Championship cycle. I know Fide is not perfect… but then neither am I. GM Wesley So.
FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky has also responded strongly to the latest development in a post on X/Twitter:
Think about it. All these appaling attacks, blackmailing, swearing, leaking of private messages, direct lies and personal offences for a sake of what?
To sell better the Freestyle Chess Series, and to have another official World Championship title for Magnus?
Sounds a bit too…
— Emilchess (@EmilSutovsky) February 4, 2025
The 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour begins in Germany on February 7 with the first of five events, the $750,000 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Weissenhaus. The ambitious tour aims to “revolutionize the world of chess” and features Freestyle Chess, the variant also known as Chess960 or Fischer-Random, where the back-rank pieces are shuffled to make computer-assisted opening preparation impractical.
In response to FIDE’s actions, Freestyle Chess has postponed a decision over whether to crown a world champion by ten months. The final event of the tour will take place in December and will determine the highest-ranked player of the year.
“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.,” Buettner writes.