Nodirbek Abdusattorov's words before the FIDE Freestyle World Championship "heated up" the mood of the fans. Because he did not overly embellish this competition and say "everything is great" - he said it all: the official World Championship is a big event, but it is a pity that the prize fund has decreased, the qualification system is not ideal, everything was organized too quickly.
His most controversial opinion is here: the fact that six chess players received invitations through the Grand Slam Tour seemed a bit unfair to the others. At the same time, he assessed the squad as very strong and, most importantly, emphasized that everyone has a chance in this format. This is also the charm of "freestyle": one position, one mistake, one find - and the whole scenario changes.
The tournament itself is a big stage: according to the FIDE calendar, the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026 will be held in Weissenhaus, Germany, from February 13 to 15. The prize fund for the tournament is $300,000.
Nodirbek, in his characteristically “unpressured” mood, says: “I don’t have any specific goals, I just enjoy the game.” At the same time, it is striking that he calls himself an outsider — as if his rating in this tournament is among the lowest. But he also said one thing for sure: anything can happen in chess. Especially if he keeps up his good form, as in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament.
The most interesting part is that now the conversation has moved from an “interview” to an “exam”. In order to continue his championship race, Nodirbek needs to defeat Magnus Carlsen in the semifinals. Moreover, the official tournament reports also state that Carlsen chose Abdusattorov as his opponent in the semifinals.
Ahead of the semifinals, which start at 19:00 today, one word for the fans: Nodirbek is not in a position to “lose everything” — he is a player who breathes freely in this format, is not afraid of risks, and finds unexpected solutions. In short, tonight is a “popcorn” night for chess fans: whether it is Carlsen’s experience or Abdusattorov’s flight of fancy — the field will tell.
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