World No 3 Hikaru Nakamira is unhappy with the conflict between the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Freestyle Chess, stating that the sport’s global governing body are a “little bit paranoid” and “overly concerned” about things they shouldn’t be about. The FIDE and Freestyle Chess, co-founded by World No 1 Magnus Carlsen, were involved in a feud over the use of the term “World Championship”.
The FIDE were not up for the idea of Freestyle Chess intending to use the term world championship for their Grand Slam Tour and claimed that only they had the right to do so. A war of words between FIDE and Freestyle Chess followed, with Carlsen accusing FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich of “broken promises” and demanding his resignation. The issue over the use of the term world championship, however, was resolved after Freestyle Chess on Wednesday removed the term from its tour regulations .
‘FIDE overly concerned about things they shouldn’t be’: Nakamura
“I kind of questioned FIDE’s approach. I think they’re perhaps a little bit paranoid and overly concerned about things they shouldn’t be is my first general thought about it. As I’ve said on my streams, they don’t have a trademark or anything along those lines as it relates to world chess championship I should say,” Nakamura told ChessBase India. Nakamura is unhappy with the overall situation between the two parties.
“So I don’t really like the approach they took. On the other hand, I think Freestyle was also… they did a little bit too much on social media I think on one hand. So, I’m not really happy with the situation as a whole. I also think that anybody looking at it from the outside, they’re not going to be left with a positive impression, either of Freestyle or FIDE,” he added.
Claiming that both FIDE and Freestyle Chess “acted like children”, the American grandmaster feels that the ongoing issue does not put chess in the right direction.
“For lack of a better way of putting it, I think both sides acted like children, you could almost say. I don’t think it moved chess in a positive direction,” commented the 37-year-old.
Magnus Carlsen to not play FIDE events in future
Magnus Carlsen has hinted that he won't play events organised by FIDE in the future , which includes the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha in December. “As of now, it’s completely out of the question,” Carlsen told Norwegian TV network TV2.
Both Nakamura and Carlsen are currently in Weissenhaus, Germany where the top 10 players including world champion D Gukesh are competing in the first leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour.