‘Chess mafia prioritizes earnings’: Niemann opens new entrance towards Carlsen, urges to guard FIDE and chess

American Grandmaster Hans Niemann has grow to be one of the crucial outstanding voices within the chess world to throw his help behind the Worldwide Chess Federation, FIDE, amid its chilly conflict towards Magnus Carlsen and the Freestyle Chess Operations.

Popping out in help of FIDE, 21-year-old Hans Niemann mentioned that the “chess mafia”—a time period he has persistently used to explain World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Chess.com—cares solely about maximizing earnings.

Niemann urges to guard FIDE from gamers ‘who abuse energy’

Niemann felt that FIDE, which is a non-profit physique, is finest suited to develop the game of chess and it must be protected against those that “abuse energy”.

“FIDE is a nonprofit with numerous devoted volunteers who genuinely care about chess. In the meantime, the chess mafia talks about “rising the sport” however prioritizes their earnings above all. We should help official regulatory our bodies to guard our recreation from those that abuse energy,” he wrote on X.

FIDE is a nonprofit with numerous devoted volunteers who genuinely care about chess. In the meantime, the chess mafia talks about “rising the sport” however prioritizes their earnings above all. We should help official regulatory our bodies to guard our recreation from those that abuse energy. https://t.co/AVx81BH0Nz

— Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) Might 5, 2025

It’s price noting that Niemann has been at loggerheads with Carlsen, Nakamura and Chess.com after he was accused of
dishonest by them in 2022.

What’s the FIDE vs ‘chess mafia’ battle?

The chess world is witnessing a refined battle for energy between the FIDE and Carlsen-led Freestyle Chess. The Freestyle Chess tournaments, together with the inaugural Grand Slam tour, don’t fall below FIDE’s jurisdiction. Nonetheless, it includes one of the best gamers on the earth in addition to world No.1 Carlsen.

World champion D Gukesh of India, World No.2 Nakamura and different high gamers, together with Arjun Erigaisi, Fabiano Caruana, amongst others, have been collaborating within the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour whereas Carlsen has already declared that he’s not concerned about returning to the classical World Chess Championship cycle and reclaim his crown.

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Hans Niemann breaks silence on sudden exit from Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam

Carlsen has been world champion 5 instances however at present he’s utterly focussed on promotion and popularising Freestyle Chess in partnership with German businessman Jan Henric Buettner, who can also be the co-owner of Freestyle Chess Operations and Chess.com.

Carlsen feels the game of chess wants a revolution to draw new viewers and the randomised Freestyle Chess, which is also referred to as Fischer Random Chess or Chess960, is one of the best format to take it to the youthful era.

The Worldwide Chess Federation, FIDE, nonetheless, had not been holding the World Championship within the Chess960 format for some time and therefore faces a brand new problem to keep up its authority on the game.

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Freestyle Chess takes centre-stage, provides FIDE loads of causes to ponder over future

FIDE and Freestyle Chess had been additionally concerned in a combat over the latter’s intention to make use of the time period ‘world champion’ for the winner of its Grand Slam tour. It led to a protracted battle wherein FIDE even tried to arm-twist the individuals with directions like gaining a “waiver word” earlier than collaborating in Freestyle Chess occasions.

The dispute finally ended after Freestyle Chess Grand Slam gamers
picked ‘Freestyle Chess Champion’ because the title for the eventual winner and never world champion.