The inaugural Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour commenced this month in Weissenhaus, Germany, with Vincent Keymer clinching victory. However, Indian chess enthusiasts faced disappointment as reigning world champion D Gukesh concluded the event without a single win, finishing eighth. Despite this setback, Gukesh is slated to participate in the upcoming Paris Grand Slam event in April, joining fellow Indian prodigies Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa.
Gukesh’s chief coach, Polish Grandmaster Grzegorz Gajewski, has expressed reservations about the long-term prospects of Freestyle Chess. In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Gajewski highlighted the challenges of balancing Freestyle Chess with traditional formats, especially for a young talent like Gukesh who is still honing his skills in classical chess. He stated, “The question though is whether you want to adjust and change the way you look at chess, because, if you adapt to this format, it could potentially backfire in the normal version of the game.” Gajewski further emphasized the uncertainty surrounding the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour’s future, noting, “There’s no guarantee that in two years’ time there will be another Grand Slam Tour, and we don’t know in which direction it’s headed.”
These sentiments echo Gukesh’s own views. In a previous interview with ChessBase India during the Weissenhaus Grand Slam event, Gukesh described Chess960 as an interesting experiment but expressed skepticism about its potential to surpass classical chess in prominence. He remarked, “I think 960 is nice as an experiment, but I don’t see it taking over classical chess. The Classical World Chess Championship cycle will be much more important than 960, so I am glad to experiment with the 960.”
The Freestyle Chess initiative, co-founded by former world champion Magnus Carlsen and entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner, aims to revolutionize the game by introducing randomized starting positions, thereby reducing the impact of deep opening preparation. Despite its innovative approach, the project has faced challenges, particularly concerning its official recognition. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has expressed concerns over the project’s attempt to label its events as “World Championships,” leading to tensions between the two organizations. FIDE stated, “The attempts by FCPC to present their project as a World Championship are in contradiction with the well-established status of FIDE and its authority over world championship titles in all relevant variations of chess.”
In response to FIDE’s stance, Carlsen and Buettner have been vocal critics. They have accused FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich of reneging on prior agreements and have called for his resignation. Buettner described FIDE as an “incompetent organization,” while Carlsen took to social media, urging Dvorkovich to honor his promise to step down.
The controversy has led to a compromise, with Freestyle Chess organizers agreeing to remove the “World Championship” label from their events. FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky confirmed this development, stating, “Today, February 04, the organisers of the ‘Freestyle Chess Tour’ fully deleted from its Regulations the reference to the ‘World Championship’ title.” This adjustment allows players to participate in Freestyle Chess events without jeopardizing their eligibility for official FIDE tournaments.
As the chess community navigates this evolving landscape, players and coaches like Gukesh and Gajewski remain cautious. While open to exploring new formats, they prioritize the stability and tradition of classical chess, especially given the uncertainties surrounding the future of Freestyle Chess.
