Fabiano Caruana weighed in on Hans Niemann's recent move toward rapid and blitz play, arguing that abandoning classical chess would be unwise. Speaking on the C-Squared Podcast with Cristian Chirila, Caruana acknowledged that while rapid and blitz tournaments offer substantial financial incentives, they cannot replicate the prestige of classical competition. The world's third-ranked player emphasized that classical chess maintains unique relevance in the chess world.

According to Caruana, the tournaments that generate genuine headlines exist almost exclusively in the classical format. The Candidates, Olympiad, World Championship, and World Cup all depend on classical chess and receive significant media attention. Caruana distinguished these events from rapid and blitz world championships, suggesting they occupy a different tier in terms of significance to the chess community.

Niemann's classical record over the past year reflects a troubling trend. He competed in seven classical events during the year and lost over forty rating points while falling seventeen positions in the standings. His classical rating dipped below 2700 for the first time since 2024, leaving him ranked 32nd globally with a rating of 2697.1 points.