 "Viswanathan Anand exits Freestyle Chess Grand Slam as Magnus Carlsen-FIDE dispute escalates")
Amid ongoing controversy between the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and Magnus Carlsen’s co-owned Freestyle Chess Operations, Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand has pulled out of the upcoming Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour . Anand, who is also the deputy president at FIDE, was part of the Grand Slam tour’s first leg along with the world’s best chess players including world No.1 Carlsen, world chess champions D Gukesh, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Levon Aronian, Vincent Keymer and Vladimir Fedoseev.
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 will take place in five editions in five cities with the first one taking place at Wangels (Germany) from 7-14 February. The Grand Slam tour will also take place in Paris, New York, New Delhi and Cape Town.
Amid Carlsen-FIDE clash, Anand pulls out of Freestyle Chess Grand Slam
The tournament organisers, Freestyle Chess Operations, and FIDE have been locked in a long-drawn battle over the use of the term "world champion" for the winner of the Grand Slam. Recently, FIDE accused Freestyle Chess Operations of causing division within the chess world and threatened legal action if they branded their competition as a “World Championship.”
Freestyle Chess Operations, meanwhile, have accused FIDE of demanding $500,000 annually to approve the competition. Carlsen also said that FIDE needs him more than he needs the chess body and he will not “agree” to something he feels is wrong.
Amid the controversy, Freestyle Chess Operations has announced that five-time world champion and former world No.1 Viswanathan Anand has pulled out from the first Grand Slam in Germany. “Viswanathan Anand withdrew on short notice,” a statement on their website read.
Uzbekistan’s 19-year-old Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov will replace Anand in the inaugural leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam,
New chess world champion Gukesh, who is currently leading the standings at the prestigious Tata Steel Chess 2025 , continues to be a part of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam and will be facing Carlsen next month.
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