Overview

• The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour began in Weissenhaus, Germany, featuring top players like Magnus Carlsen, D Gukesh, and Fabiano Caruana.
• A dispute between Freestyle Chess organizers and FIDE centers on the use of 'World Championship' branding, which FIDE opposes, asserting its authority over such titles.
• Freestyle Chess co-owner Jan Henric Buettner sparked backlash after making an offensive comparison while criticizing FIDE's handling of player agreements.
• FIDE denies accusations of pressuring players to avoid the Freestyle event, emphasizing its focus on maintaining authority over official championships.
• Viswanathan Anand withdrew from the tournament, with speculation linking his decision to his role as FIDE deputy president and Magnus Carlsen's criticism.