Sagar Shah2024 has been an eventful year. Can you tell us about FIDE’s achievements and plans for 2025?
Arkady DvorkovichFirst of all, I’m very pleased that we managed to organize all the major competitions at a very high level, with rising prices and increased visibility. Thanks to sponsors from all over the world, these events took place in iconic locations, such as the World Championship finals in Singapore and the Rapid and Blitz World Championships in New York. Congratulations to the new World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju. It’s an incredible achievement and a great source of pride for India, I imagine.
The FIDE team has worked hard to organize these events, raise funds and ensure optimal conditions for the players. I would particularly like to thank Emil Sutovsky, Chairman of the Global Strategy Commission and CEO of FIDE, as well as his team and the communications department, who have created an ideal environment for all participants.
I know that some people criticize Emil, but he sometimes works up to 20 hours a day, putting all his heart and effort into organizing events and fundraising. These personal attacks are unacceptable. You can criticize constructively, but not attack those who work hard. I’m sending out a strong message: no personal attacks, even towards those with whom you disagree. They’re doing a great job, and 2024 proved it.
I’d also like to thank Vishy Anand for his outstanding contribution, whether in Budapest, New York or elsewhere. He continues to have an impressive career (he’s still ranked 10th in the world), but he’s getting more and more involved in his role as FIDE vice-president. That’s a great thing.
Dana Reizniece also works tirelessly on various projects and manages relations with the federations. Akaki Iashvili, Lukasz Turlej and Nigel Short also play crucial roles, and I deeply appreciate their efforts. If I leave anyone out, no offence. As our team grows, so do our ambitions.
2024 was a year marked by major events such as FIDE’s 100th anniversary. In 2025, we will focus on the social mission of chess, in addition to major competitions. We end the year with an enlarged community and more countries involved. Our next challenge is to expand our spectator base and make chess more commercially attractive.
Sagar ShahYou mentioned personal attacks. Can you go back to the two incidents at the Rapid and Blitz World Championships in New York: the dress code affair and the sharing of first place in the Blitz WC?
Arkady DvorkovichThe time difference was important, and I was ill, so I wasn’t present when the decision was made. I’m not criticizing anyone – not our team, not Magnus, who recognized the rule violation and was ready to accept the sanctions. Nobody is really at fault here. It was a series of circumstances that led to a sub-optimal result. If I’d been there, I might have proposed a different solution, but the main thing is to learn from it. I know Magnus had no intention of violating the dress code. That’s what matters to me.
We found a solution, and Magnus was able to participate in the blitz tournament, which increased interest in the event. He also attended the conference we organized before the tournament, attracting many VIPs to the “Wall Street Gambit” event.
As for sharing the blitz title, the rules weren’t perfect. We created a risk that it would go on indefinitely, which isn’t ideal. After two games, nobody expected it to end like this, but Ian came back, evened the score, and it did.
The players had run out of motivation, especially with the New Year just around the corner. We were already in party mode! Of course, this is sport, and we want them to fight to the end, but motivation was already low. At this stage, I couldn’t see any other solution, and everyone was more or less in agreement.
Sagar ShahWill there be any changes to the dress code?
Arkady DvorkovichWe’re discussing it. Normally, the Players’ Commission is responsible for this. We are following their recommendations, and I encourage all interested players to contact them to suggest improvements.
Players should be comfortable, but events should also be elegant. We’re talking about the World Championship, not a festival where style can be entirely individual. The media and sponsors want to see style, but we can discuss what that means. The key is to find a balance, and I think most of the top players understand that.
Sagar ShahCan you explain how Magnus came back to the blitz tournament? Many people thought he wouldn’t play.
Arkady DvorkovichWe spoke with Magnus and Henrik (Magnus’s father) after the incident and found common ground. Magnus acknowledged that the dress code had been broken, but we also agreed that another solution was possible. The head referee and our team acted within the rules, but the rules allowed for some flexibility. We decided it was best for Magnus to come back, and he admitted that some of his remarks were excessive. The discussion was open and direct, which is a good thing.
Sagar ShahMagnus Carlsen has expressed an interest in Freestyle chess and is considering a Freestyle World Championship in 2025. How do you see this situation paralleling the Classic World Championship?
Arkady DvorkovichThe integrity of the chess family is crucial to maintaining the attractiveness of the game. Creating chaos doesn’t help anyone. Magnus mentioned that he would concentrate on fast formats, Esport and Freestyle chess, but he still participates in some classic tournaments.
We are working with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to integrate chess into the Olympic Esport Games. At the same time, we support initiatives such as Fischer Random Chess (also known as Chess 960), but we need to work together. FIDE is the governing body of chess, and we are ready to approve new projects, provided our authority is respected.
We’re not looking to sanction players taking part in these events in 2025. We want to find a long-term solution based on collaboration. A public statement will be issued shortly to clarify our position.
