Hikaru Nakamura says FIDE has only kept rating spot to Candidates for Magnus Carlsen
The FIDE rating spot will be given to the highest-rated player according to the 6-month average rating based on FIDE Standard Rating Lists from August 1st 2025 till January 1st 2026 provided the respective player has played at least 40 games calculated for FIDE Standard Rating Lists from February 1st 2025 till January 1st 2026 (including at least 15 games in any of the 6 consecutive rating lists).
Nakamura has said that the only reason FIDE, the global governing body of chess, still is giving away a ratings spot is to keep the door open to former world champion Magnus Carlsen, who has repeatedly said that he's not interested in playing either the Candidates or the World Championship.
'I've said that there are many things over the last couple of years that FIDE has 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.
'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 told Chessbase India in an interview during the ongoing Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. '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.'
Nakamura pointed out how players like Ding Liren and Alireza Firoujza had gamed their way to securing a rating spot in the past.
Players can also qualify for the Candidates via the 2024 FIDE Circuit (Fabiano Caruana has secured this spot), finishing in the top 3 at the 2025 FIDE World Cup, finishing in the top 2 at the Grand Swiss tournament or by rating.
Nakamura said that for him, the only plan to qualify for the Candidates was via the ratings spot whose existence he was criticising.
'That is the only plan. I've already made it very clear that I'm not playing the Grand Swiss or the World Cup. So it's either that or nothing. Yeah, my plan is is pretty simple,' Nakamura said.
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First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Divya opens up on missed chances against Humpy in Classical leg of Chess World Cup final: 'Felt like a loss'
IM Divya Deshmukh admitted the draw in Game 1 of the all-Indian FIDE Women's World Cup final against GM Koneru Humpy felt like a defeat, and that she managed to complicate things in Game 2 when it should have been an easy draw. read more Divya Deshmukh had defeated China's Zhu Jiner and Tan Zhongyi, both of whom are ranked inside the world top-10, en route to the FIDE Women's World Cup final against compatriot Koneru Humpy. Image credit: FIDE Two days. Two games. And still no winner. The historic all-Indian FIDE Women's World Cup final between Grandmaster Koneru Humpy and International Master Divya Deshmukh has been quite the entertaining ride so far, but the two players , with this year's champion set to be decided in the tie-breaks on Monday. Divya could have easily been leading the contest heading into Game 1 on Saturday, but failed to capitalise on her experienced compatriot's mistakes to allow Humpy to force a 41-move draw. The 19-year-old from Nagpur was in the mood to attack in the second game as well, only to find the veteran GM matching her move for move and keeping her at bay, even cornering her on a couple of occasions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I got myself into a mess for no reason' Speaking to FIDE after Game 2 on Sunday, Divya revealed that the draw in Saturday's opening Classical game actually felt like a defeat to her, and that she got herself into an unnecessary mess on the following day in what should have been an easy draw. 'I was quite disappointed with the first game obviously because I saw everything and I just always ended up making the wrong choice, and it was quite a pity. Even though it was a draw, it kind of felt like a loss,' and game two was about recovering from that," Divya said during the interview. 'I think I got myself into a mess for no reason. I was trying to see if there was a win, but I missed this …Qb8 [on move 26]…. It should have been an easy draw,' she added, referring to the second Classical game which ended in just 34 moves through a three-fold repetition. 🇮🇳 Humpy Koneru and 🇮🇳 Divya Deshmukh will play tie-breaks tomorrow! Game 1 & 2 ended in draws. Stay tuned! Tie-Break Start - 12:00 local time 🇬🇪#FIDEWorldCup — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 27, 2025 Divya, however, does not have the time to be sad right now, and is shifting her focus to the all-important tie-breaks, where she will be competing with Humpy in a series of rapid and blitz games until a decisive result is achieved. And what adds to the challenge is the fact that Humpy happens to be a two-time reigning rapid world champion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I just tell myself that I have the rest of my life to be sad about it, so don't be sad today and we can be sad about it afterwards,' Divya added.
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
World Cup chess: Humpy, Divya draw Game 2, push match into tiebreaker
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Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
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