"Sponsor gave Magnus the decision" - GMHikaru explains why he wasn't invited to the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge

Chess Grandmaster and streamer Hikaru Nakamura, known online as "GMHikaru," recently addressed his absence from the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge. The new invitational tournament, initially unveiled by Magnus Carlsen, follows a Fischer random chess format. It features Carlsen alongside seven other top Grandmasters.

Many were curious about GMHikaru's absence, particularly since he holds the title of Fischer Random World Champion. The content creator claimed it was Carlsen who had the final call on the participants of the tournament:

(Timestamp: 00:38)

GMHikaru recently shared his take on the ongoing Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge (February 9-16, 2024) during one of his livestreams. He also discussed the absence of notable players from the event, such as Ian Nepomniachtchi, as well as his own.

The streamer said:

He also stated that the main reason was down to the fact that Magnus Carlsen was given the power to choose the participants in the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge:

The content creator added that the three big players who were not invited had all incidentally defeated Carlsen in this format:

GMHikaru was recently embroiled in a feud with fellow Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik.

Kramnik has publicly stated that the streamer's online games should be investigated (suggesting that there may be some foul play). Chess.com, however, has since dismissed the appeal and even went on to lock Kramnik's blog page on the website.