Magnus Carlsen, a 34-year-old Norwegian, is among the greatest chess players of all time.

Magnus Carlsen questioned the validity of classical chess as a measure of skill, favoring rapid chess. Gukesh acknowledged the quality of their championship match, while Carlsen ruled out a title clash.

D Gukesh ends the Round Robin stage in Weissenhaus without a single victory, suffering a 46-move loss against Magnus Carlsen in the final round to finish with 3.5 points courtesy seven draws and two losses.

This isn't just another chess tournament though, with a public spat between Carlsen and the promoters of the FCGT with FIDE in the build-up to the tournament.

Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour boss Jan Henric Buettner and all-time great Magnus Carlsen have called on International Chess Federation (FIDE) president Arkady Dvorkovich to resign after talks over an agreement about the new series fell through.

“The organizers of the “Freestyle Chess Tour” fully deleted from its Regulations the reference to the “World Championship” title. Following this change in the regulations, players wishing to participate in the 2025 “Freestyle Chess Tour” are no longer required to sign the waiver note,” said the updated FIDE statement.

The five-tournament series will unfold through the year, with Paris, New York, New Delhi and Cape Town being the other four host cities. It will end with the final competition from December 5 to 12

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER On Friday, Magnus Carlsen begins his quest to grow the popularity of an alternative chess variant and win the tournament itself.