Amid Magnus Carlsen’s Protests Against FIDE, Bulls Legend Derrick Rose Pays Tribute to Chess Grandmaster

Retirement sure hasn’t confined Derrick Rose to the leisure of his home. The Chicago Bulls icon has been out and about celebrating with fans, partnering with brands, and now channeling the whole of his energy into a game that has turned into a full-blown obsession. He seems driven again to work on his chess tournament and play his part for the game. As we all await its fruition, the basketball legend has an homage to the pay for 5x World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen, who’s fighting his own battles in the field. 

In a heartfelt IG post, the basketball player confessed his immense love for chess and respect for the players who travel so often and dedicate their whole lives to it. “So it’s only right that the craft look out right???” he asks as someone who became more involved with the game to bring capital. “Well WE just did that and it’s called Freestyle Chess. It’s time for a new paradigm!” he adds, further mentioning his own tournament, Chesstival, which he launched in 2023 to help bring the game to new audiences.

Towards the end of his long caption, he had a few words of praise for Carlsen, who had stepped up with the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge, which he co-founded alongside the owner of the Weißenhaus resort, Jan Henric Buettner.

“Peace and love to Magnus, Jan and Jason. Thank you! You are helping me show that I’m more than a Hooper and helping me show who I really am even tho hoop is in my name. It’s just apart of the story. Just like Bobby Fischer started it with Chess360 in 96 but we took it to another level becuz Magnus is Chess,” Rose wrote.

This is the first major Chess960 tournament to use classical chess time controls. The first edition was held in February last year at Gut Weißenhaus, and the second edition is set for February 7–14, 2025. This was also probably Rose’s inspiration to work hard for Chesstival.

The Chicago Bulls legend has long hinted at the return of his chess tournament, which was supposed to take place in 2023. And while several unknown reasons have continued to delay the event, Rose might have plans for it in 2025. His wife, Alaina, also commented on the post, writing “Summer 2025” and tagging the official IG handle for Chesstival.

In his long carousel post, he also shared an image of Carlsen’s tournament logo. This is a kinder gesture Magnus could use, who is involved in a feud with FIDE.

Magnus Carlsen makes a bold demand

FIDE appears to be opposing the Freestyle Tournament’s decision to label its event as a World Championship. It says that only FIDE has the authority to confer such a title. In what seems to be an attempt to curb this challenge, FIDE has reportedly required players to sign a waiver prohibiting their participation in any non-FIDE-sanctioned World Championship.

This move did not sit well with the Grandmaster, who not only opposed it but also presented evidence to support his claim that FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich had broken his promise. He shared messages exchanged between his father and Dvorkovich, in which the latter assured that players would not be pressured in this dispute.

Magnus took to X to accuse Dvorkovich of going back on his word and demanded that he take responsibility. He wrote, “Coercion of players, misuse of power and broken promises…(Dvorkovich’s conversation with Carlsen’s father)…You added later that day: ‘I will step down if my word will be undermined by the Council.’ By forcing players to sign an unacceptable waiver you have reneged on your promise. Will you resign?” The feud is far from over.