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‘FIDE can't accept Magnus has moved on': Nakamura explains how FIDE is still trying to lure Carlsen back to World Chess Championship
Magnus Carlsen returning to the World Chess Championship cycle will be a mega boost to the classical format. Image: Freestyle Chess
American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has criticised the FIDE rating spot qualifying route for the Candidates and feels that the rating spot method has been kept alive by the International Chess Federation to lure Magnus Carlsen back to compete in the World Chess Championship.
The FIDE rating spot is one of the many ways to qualify for the FIDE Candidates chess tournament. The winner of the Candidates goes on to compete against the world champion in the World Chess Championship.
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The FIDE rating spot will be awarded to the highest-rated player according to the six-month average rating based on FIDE Standard Rating Lists from 1 August 2025 to 1 January 2026. The player would also have to fulfill other criteria like playing at least 40 games calculated for FIDE Standard Rating Lists from 1 February 2025 to 1 January 2026 (including at least 15 games in any of the 6 consecutive rating lists).
FIDE wants Carlsen to fight for world title?
Nakamura, who is close friends with world No.1 Carlsen, feels the only reason FIDE is still pursuing the rating spot qualification method is that they want to keep an option for the five-time world champion in case he decides to make a U-turn. Carlsen has in the past announced that he is not interested in taking part in the World Chess Championship.
'I've said that there are many things over the last couple of years that FIDE has gotten wrong and one of the big things is there should not be a rating spot. I think having a rating spot is a huge mistake,' Nakamura told Chessbase India.
Also Read | Magnus's menace: How young Indian Grandmasters are proving to be his toughest challengers
'It maybe is not politically correct to say this, but my view about the rating spot, it's simply, you know, 'we're sorry, Magnus. Here's here's your chance to play the Candidates and become world champion again if you're really interested'. And I don't think there's any other reason that FIDE have the rating spot. I think it's literally on the off chance that Magnus wakes up tomorrow and suddenly he decides that he wants to play classical seriously again,' Nakamura said.
'FIDE, for whatever reason, can't get over the fact that Magnus has moved on from classical chess and he has no interest in the world championship.'
Carlsen relinquished the world title in 2022 after holding the crown from 2013. He was succeeded by Ding Liren, who lost to India's D Gukesh in December 2024.
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The other qualifying routes for the FIDE Candidates tournament are finishing in the top three in the World Cup, finishing in the top two in the Grand Swiss tournament and finishing at the top of FIDE Circuit points standings.
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