 "D Gukesh and Viswanathan Anand at the 2023 Tata Steel Chess India Rapid and Blitz Championships. PTI")
With Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand abruptly pulling out of the opening event of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, there were concerns of his protege D Gukesh following suit. Anand withdrew from the Weissenhaus leg of the tour last week, the five-time world champion’s decision coming at a time when FIDE, the global governing body for the sport where he currently serves as the deputy president, is at loggerheads with the Magnus Carlsen-backed private event.
However, German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner, who co-founded Freestyle Chess along with world No 1 Carlsen, has stated that he has reached out to Gukesh’s father Rajinikanth and is confident the reigning world champion will be in action alongside other top players from across the world at the Weissenhaus Private Nature Luxury Resort.
“I’m in very good communication with Gukesh’s father, who is managing his affairs. And they’re very much looking forward (to playing in Weissenhaus). I have communication with each and every player. I’m in very good contact with Arjun, with Pragg, and, of course, with Gukesh.
“The additional benefit with Gukesh is that he was there at Weissenhaus in last year’s event. Gukesh knows what he can expect at Weissenhaus. That’s why I was not concerned,” Buettner told The Indian Express, adding that he had also reached out to FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich in order to arrive at a truce.
The first event of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour takes place in at the luxury seaside resort situated on the Baltic coast in nothern Germany between 7 and 14 February. Besides Gukesh and Carlsen, top players such as Hikaru Nakamura – who has also traded barbs with FIDE – and Fabiano Caruana will also be in action. The Weissenhaus event carries a total prize fund of $750,000, out of which $200,000 will be awarded to the winner.
The tour will also witness events in Paris, New York, Delhi and Cape Town in the remainder of the year, although Buettner has hinted at the Delhi leg that was scheduled to take place in September being moved to a different city.