Overview

• Freestyle Chess Grand Slam co-owners Magnus Carlsen and Jan Henric Buettner have called for FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich to resign after failed negotiations regarding tournament recognition.
• FIDE has insisted on being the sole authority to award the 'World Championship' title, while Freestyle Chess sought to use the term for its tournament series.
• Buettner revealed alleged WhatsApp exchanges where Dvorkovich initially appeared open to an agreement but later reneged, prompting accusations of broken promises.
• Players participating in Freestyle Chess events were pressured by FIDE to sign waivers to remain eligible for official FIDE competitions, sparking criticism from Carlsen and Buettner.
• The first leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour is set to begin on February 7 in Germany, with the series continuing under the title 'Grand Slam Tour' instead of 'World Championship.'