The World Rapid and Blitz 2024 has been widely criticized for the dates chosen and the additional cost burden on the participants. Now Hikaru Nakamura adds to the problems – he says that FIDE is changing the format, “so that they ensure somebody like Magnus Carlsen or myself is in the finals, and potentially winning the tournament”
In a major shift from the traditional structure, the 2024 World Blitz Championship will be decided through a two-stage format. The first stage will follow the familiar Swiss system, consisting of 13 rounds for the open section and 11 rounds for the women’s section, with a time control of 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move. The top eight players from this stage will qualify for the knockout phase. The knockout stage will feature four-game matches, allowing players to have ample fighting opportunities, and giving viewers a show that will keep them on the edge of their seats.
Nakamura adds to the issue and explains that the previous format was giving more chances to lower rated players, while with the new format only the top guns have a shot. “I do not think that this is a good idea, I actually think it is a terrible idea,” says Nakamura. He also adds worries that the format changes are going to spread to the World Cup, where the proposition is to lower the time control.
You would think Nakamura stops the criticism there, but he continues, “Now that they are structuring it as a knockout, you do not know how long you are staying there. […] Basically you do not know what to do. Do you assume you play only the first phase? Do you assume you reach the knockout stage? […] For travel plans the amount of money people have to spend is exorbitant.”
And Nakamura does not stop there. So we have a new game: follow the video and make your count