Jan Henric Buettner Responds to Hikaru Nakamura’s Criticism: “We’re Evolving, Not Stubborn”

In the wake of Hikaru Nakamura’s sharp critique of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam’s Las Vegas tournament, where he called out issues ranging from format inconsistency to audience distractions, co-founder Jan Henric Buettner has offered a measured, transparent response.

Speaking in a recent interview, Buettner acknowledged that some criticism, including from elite players like Fabiano Caruana, has been “very constructive” and even welcomed. While he didn’t directly reference Nakamura, his remarks addressed many of the same issues Hikaru raised, including the tournament’s evolving format, the physically taxing schedule, and the growing pains of audience integration.

“We’re Still a Baby Company”

Buettner stressed the tournament’s youth, noting that the organization has only existed for five months.

“This is just our fourth tournament, and we’re about to organize our fifth. So, we need time and space to figure out what works and what doesn’t,” he said. “By the end of the season, we’ll have found the perfect format we can stick to consistently.”

His comments echo Nakamura’s frustration with what the American GM described as a lack of clarity around rules and structure. Buettner’s defense? It’s all part of the learning process, and necessary for building something new.

“We’re not sticking to a format just because we said so in the beginning.”

Addressing the 10-Hour Game Day Criticism

Nakamura described the Las Vegas leg as “brutal,” particularly due to long playing days and last-minute scheduling changes. Buettner acknowledged this, referencing Caruana’s experience of a 10-hour day that included Armageddon tiebreaks.

“Fabiano really suffered. So we decided to eliminate the rapid and blitz portions in tiebreaks and replace them with a different format. This should ensure the days won’t be as long.”

This move suggests that the organizers are willing to adapt in real-time, even if the road to consistency remains bumpy.

Audience Reactions: Distraction or Engagement?

One of Nakamura’s key points was the lack of control over the audience, especially in high-stakes moments. Buettner didn’t deny this. In fact, he leaned into it as part of Freestyle’s DNA.

“We’re not here just to play pure chess in the traditional sense. We want fan engagement.”

He acknowledged that reactions during the Caruana vs. Nakamura game caused a stir and that discussions around this issue dominated the technical meeting.

“With 16 players, it’s tough. Everyone has different preferences. Some like headphones, some don’t. Even with noise-canceling, you can’t block everything out.”

Still, Buettner emphasized that the players, like athletes in other sports, may need to adapt:

“Look at tennis. Sometimes the crowd makes noise, and a player loses a critical point. It happens. In soccer, it’s even crazier. Distractions are part of live sport.”

While Nakamura argued that audience noise could affect the integrity of play, Buettner seemed to see it as a feature, not a bug.

“The solution is: don’t blunder,” he joked, quoting a remark from the meeting. “Fan reactions might accidentally help or hurt. But it can go both ways.”

Read More: Pique Shocked by Carlsen’s Queen Sacrifice at Freestyle Chess Grand Slam

“We’re Trying to Revolutionize Chess”

Perhaps the most revealing moment of the interview came when Buettner framed the broader mission.

“We’re trying to revolutionize the sport of chess. Let’s see where it takes us.”

It’s a mission that won’t satisfy everyone in the short term, particularly purists like Nakamura who are used to a certain standard of professionalism. But Buettner is betting on evolution over rigidity, and audience engagement over silence.

TL,DR

While tensions remain between some top players and organizers, Buettner’s response makes one thing clear: Freestyle Chess isn’t backing down from its bold vision. The project is still in flux, but if it survives the growing pains, and learns from critiques like Nakamura’s. It could become one of the most innovative formats chess has seen in decades.