Nakamura Skips FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship: Here's Why!

• Hikaru Nakamura, the reigning Fischer Random World Champion (2022), will not participate in the newly introduced FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship.
• The tournament, scheduled for February 13-15 in Weissenhaus, Germany, features eight top chess players.
• Co-founder Jan Henric Buettner confirmed Nakamura was invited but declined, preferring to be remembered as the 2022 champion.
• Nakamura is currently focusing on preparing for the Candidates tournament in March-April, aiming to challenge World Champion D Gukesh.
• Seven participants, including Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, have qualified, with one spot remaining.

Why It Matters: Hikaru Nakamura opted out of the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship to preserve his 2022 title legacy and focus on Candidates.