German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner, the head of Freestyle Chess, has fired back at the International Chess Federation’s (FIDE) threats of legal action, labeling it “blackmail,” and alleging that FIDE demanded $500,000 for the rights to use the world championship title. He says he’s ready to take the case to court.
The conflict between FIDE and Freestyle Chess, which has five high-level tournaments , is heating up. On Tuesday, the chess world governing body released a statement if the tour planned to crown a ‘world champion’ without FIDE’s approval.
Buettner has now responded in interviews with Norwegian media. “I think it’s incredibly ridiculous. I could see it coming, so it wasn’t surprising, but ridiculous regardless,” he .
Speaking to VG on Sunday, Buettner to say he was “surprised at how stupid they were.” He is willing to fight the global chess body. “We are ready for war,” he said. “But if FIDE is ready for some sense, we are ready to speak to them.”
We are ready for war.
—Jan Henric Buettner on FIDE statement
FIDE has been firmly against Freestyle Chess crowning an official ‘world champion.’ They argue that contracts players have already signed prohibit them from participating in unsanctioned world championships. FIDE defends these rules as necessary to maintain the integrity of the sport, ensuring consistency and credibility in the championship system.
The first event in the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam will take place in Buettner’s resort, Weissenhaus, in Germany. Photo: Freestyle Chess.
Buettner disagrees, telling VG: “They can’t copyright it. Everyone can organize it and they know they can’t stop us.”
He said to NRK: “You cannot abuse a dominating market position and blackmail people. That’s against the law.” The German suggests that FIDE, with its headquarters in Lausanne, would be violating Swiss law.
You cannot abuse a dominating market position and blackmail people. That’s against the law.
—Jan Henric Buettner on FIDE’s statement
Freestyle Chess was founded by Buettner and GM , and the duo for the ambitious Grand Slam project. With a hefty $750,000 prize fund per event, which is intended to grow to $1 million, they want to ‘revolutionize the world of chess’ with a new Chess960 tour and make it sustainable. FIDE could not find an organizer for world championships in 2023 and 2024 and last held one in 2022.
Freestyle Chess, with its founder Jan Henric Buettner and co-founder Magnus Carlsen, is faced with a warning by FIDE. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.
Attempts to negotiate with FIDE have been unsuccessful, Buettner said. Freestyle Chess made an offer of $100,000 to use the “world championship” title, citing the Dire Straits hit Money For Nothing. Instead, FIDE demanded $500,000 annually for tournament approval, Buettner told NRK. He has not had any contact with FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich since December 9, he said.
GM , the reigning World Champion in the chess variant, echoed Buettner’s sentiments during a stream on his channel this week, calling FIDE’s statement a “direct attack” on players. The world number-three also argued that FIDE does not actually have the exclusive rights to organize a Fischer-Random World Championship.
“As soon as the top players realize that they have this power, that’s when FIDE is in trouble. Because then they will understand that sponsors are not going to show up if the players aren’t competing,” Nakamura said, adding:
“If players look at this logically, they will understand that if top players stand together, FIDE will not be able to implement any of this.”
Buettner said he believes FIDE’s strategy is a poor one that will backfire. “I think this will lead to top players being united against them. And it can lead to the whole FIDE organization falling apart.”
I think this will lead to top players being united against them. And it can lead to the whole FIDE organization falling apart.
—Jan Henric Buettner on FIDE’s statement
FIDE has assured players taking part in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in 2025 that they will not be penalized. However, they also said players who are competing in the 2025-2026 World Championship cycle will be requested to sign an additional contract.
According to Buettner, FIDE’s “absurd” contract has a deadline of February 3. It includes a clause that a player who competes in a world championship not approved by FIDE will be excluded from the cycle for the next four years. “I don’t think any players will sign this ridiculous contract,” he said.
“That’s the reason it’s so ridiculous in so many ways. The players are uniting and trying to find something they can agree on. I can’t believe how ridiculous these people are,” he said about FIDE.
Jan Henric Buettner is ready for war with FIDE. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.
Buettner told VG that they have hired the best lawyers for the players and are actively coordinating with them so they can speak together in one voice. “FIDE is trying to push this through before we begin, but we will gather everyone here in Weissenhaus and discuss what we are going to do next. That’s why it’s a poor strategy by FIDE.”
IM George Mastrokoukos was FIDE’s Events Coordinator between 2003 and 2018, writing contracts and regulations for World Championships in that period. The experienced arbiter and international organizer was also a part of FIDE’s legal team during cases in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne but is now an open critic of the chess global body.
The Greek responded to FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky’s claims in a tweet.
From where to start really…A) Since I am the one who actually drafted the relevant part of player contracts, these contracts clearly refer to “” everywhere, not fischerandom, not bughouse, not backgammon.B) Completely irrelevant. FIDE can even add basketball or table…
— George Mastrokoukos (@GMastrokoukos)
Mastrokoukos told Chess.com that 80 percent of that material is still in use by FIDE today: “FIDE does not have exclusive rights even for classical chess, as has been proved in the past,” he said, referring to the split with separate world championship titles in the 90s and 2000s. “FIDE’s only ‘rights’ for classical chess are with players who have signed player contracts from 2006 and afterwards, which stipulate that they cannot play in other world chess championships,” he said, adding:
He encouraged the players to be careful with what they sign. “FIDE will try to put pressure on players that ‘we will exclude you and then you go to court,’ betting that some players might be afraid of the legal costs. This is why it is important for the players to be careful what they sign. They should never sign terms against them that are not explicitly described in the event regulations.”
If the players have not signed a contract for the 2022 FIDE Fischerandom event, limiting them not to play in any other so called “Fischerandom world championship”, then FIDE’s threats are empty and just another Soviet-style attempt to grab cash for…
— George Mastrokoukos (@GMastrokoukos)
FIDE has denied the claims, rejecting accusations of ‘blackmail’ and noting that players voluntarily signed contracts that prohibited participation in unsanctioned world championships.
Such agreements, FIDE argues, are a common practice in sports governance to maintain the integrity and credibility of championship systems.
FIDE also insisted that the opposition to Freestyle Chess’ use of “world championship” is not driven by financial demands but rather formal recognition of FIDE as the governing body. “There was an offer of $100,000 from Freestyle Chess. FIDE’s position was clear, even though we would welcome such a contribution to support our social projects, this does not give it the status of a world championship.”
FIDE CEO GM Emil Sutovsky responded to the criticism over several posts on X/Twitter.
Again, it is important to realize:FIDE runs hundreds of events of and projects. Be it chess in schools, chess in developing countries, women chess, multiple youth and senior championships, title and rating systems and so much more.Our by far main income comes from World…
— Emilchess (@EmilSutovsky)
