Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Accuses FIDE of Financial Exploitation
📅 January 29, 2025 | Sports Desk
The battle between the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour and FIDE has intensified, with Jan Henric Buettner, the head of the tour, making serious allegations against the world chess governing body. Buettner claims that FIDE demanded an annual payment of $500,000 for allowing the tournament to proceed, a demand he calls “unjustifiable” and driven purely by financial motives.
Freestyle Chess vs. FIDE – A Growing Conflict
Buettner’s accusations come a day after FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky criticized the Freestyle Chess organizers, accusing them of trying to split the chess world. However, Buettner countered these claims in an open letter, stating that FIDE’s approach had alienated players and that its demands were unreasonable.
“Despite Freestyle’s willingness to offer $100,000 annually to FIDE, purely as a gesture of goodwill and to avoid harassment — this has been rebuffed. FIDE’s demand for $500,000, an unjustifiable sum for a format it has no involvement in, suggests that monetary gain is the primary driver.”
Buettner further alleged that FIDE was using intimidation tactics, pressuring players into signing agreements without legal representation.
“FIDE’s recent actions, such as threatening players with sanctions and demanding they sign agreements under undue pressure and without legal counsel, are deeply troubling. This is neither ethical nor professional. FIDE is attempting to exploit its dominant market position to strong-arm players into submission.”
A Struggle for Control Over Chess Formats
The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour is a new format of chess that aims to revolutionize the game, focusing on variants such as Chess960. According to Buettner, it does not interfere with classical chess and should not be seen as a competitor to FIDE’s World Championship cycle.
“Let me clarify once again: our tour is not a ‘World Championship’ in the traditional sense. It is titled the ‘Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour.’ At the end of each year, we crown a champion in Freestyle Chess – a format that might evolve in the future, potentially moving beyond Chess960 to other new formats, but not classical chess.”
Buettner also pointed out FIDE’s double standards, citing that the organization has not penalized players participating in other independent chess events, such as the Bughouse World Championship.
“If FIDE’s issue truly lies with the use of ‘World Championship’ terminology, it would have to address similar cases, such as the Bughouse World Championship, where even players like Ding Liren have participated. Yet FIDE has not penalized Ding or others for taking part. This inconsistency reveals the true motive behind FIDE’s actions: money.”
What’s Next for Freestyle Chess?
Despite the ongoing conflict, Buettner remains committed to keeping Freestyle Chess independent, with strong backing from sponsors who reportedly prefer to distance themselves from FIDE.
With FIDE threatening sanctions and blocking top players from participating in the event, the chess world could be heading toward a major showdown between tradition and innovation.
The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour presents an exciting new format of chess, but its clash with FIDE’s control over the chess ecosystem has created tension. As the battle unfolds, players and fans will be closely watching whether FIDE softens its stance or continues its firm grip on international chess competitions.
What are your thoughts on this controversy? Should chess players be allowed to compete freely in independent tournaments? Share your views in the comments!