Chess · Global
FIDE launches freestyle championship in Weissenhaus
Eight grandmasters began the joint event with a recognised world title and 2027 places at stake.
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FIDE and Freestyle Chess launched their joint world championship in Weissenhaus with eight grandmasters competing for the 2026 title. The three-day event offered a $300,000 prize fund, a $100,000 first prize and three direct qualification places for the 2027 championship.
The format begins with a rapid round-robin before the top four move into best-of-four semifinals and a final. Knockout games use twenty-five minutes plus a ten-second increment. Starting positions are drawn for each round, with the ordinary classical starting arrangement excluded.
Technical delegate Pavel Tregubov represented FIDE’s oversight at the launch. A separate exhibition between Alexandra Kosteniuk and Bibisara Assaubayeva accompanied the championship, with its winner earning a place in the future women’s freestyle world championship. The programme included live digital broadcasts and commentary.
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