The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour is a series of Chess960 tournaments in 2025, organized by Freestyle Chess Operations. It features five “Grand Slam” events across various countries, with the player scoring the most cumulative points being crowned the Freestyle Chess Champion at the end of the year.
Tournament Calendar
| Dates | Host City | Winner | Runner-up | Third Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 7–14 | Germany, Wangels | Vincent Keymer (GER) | Fabiano Caruana (USA) | Magnus Carlsen (NOR) |
| April 8–15 | France, Paris | Magnus Carlsen (NOR) | Hikaru Nakamura (USA) | Fabiano Caruana (USA) |
| April 17–21 | Germany, Karlsruhe | Magnus Carlsen (NOR) | Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) | Andrey Esipenko (FIDE) / Frederik Svane (GER) |
| July 16–20 | USA, Las Vegas | Levon Aronian (USA) | Hans Niemann (USA) | Magnus Carlsen (NOR) |
Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam – 2025
Held from July 16 to 20 at Wynn Las Vegas, this was the fourth leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. The tournament brought together the world’s best players in the Chess960 format, where the starting position of pieces is randomized to emphasize creativity and improvisation.
Final Standings & Prize Money
| Position | Player | Prize Money | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Levon Aronian (USA) | $200,000 | 25 |
| 2 | Hans Niemann (USA) | $140,000 | 18 |
| 3 | Magnus Carlsen (NOR) | $100,000 | 15 |
| 4 | Hikaru Nakamura (USA) | $60,000 | 12 |
| 5 | Fabiano Caruana (USA) | $50,000 | 10 |
| 6 | Arjun Erigaisi (IND) | $40,000 | 8 |
| 7 | R Praggnanandhaa (IND) | $30,000 | 6 |
Praggnanandhaa Stuns Carlsen – Twice in Three Days
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa made headlines by defeating World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen twice in just three days during the Las Vegas leg of the tournament.
- First Win (July 17): Pragg defeated Carlsen in 39 moves during a classification game.
- Second Win (July 20): Playing with the white pieces, Pragg forced Carlsen to resign in 43 moves, with the World Champion facing an unavoidable checkmate and less time on the clock.
However, Carlsen mounted a stunning comeback:
- He won the reverse classical game, leveling the score.
- Then, he defeated Praggnanandhaa in both tiebreak games, winning three straight to advance.
Carlsen vs Praggnanandhaa – Las Vegas 2025
In the 2025 Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Magnus Carlsen and R Praggnanandhaa played a total of 5 games against each other.
| Game Type | ✅ Winner |
|---|---|
| Classification Game | Praggnanandhaa |
| Classical Game 1 | Praggnanandhaa |
| Classical Game 2 | Carlsen |
| Tiebreak Game 1 | Carlsen |
| Tiebreak Game 2 | Carlsen |
Magnus Carlsen Reflects on His Comeback Performance
After a slow start and multiple setbacks, World No. 1 and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen mounted a big comeback to finish third at the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam event on Monday. After losing to Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa and American-Armenian Levon Aronian in the classification round for a spot in the quarterfinals, Carlsen’s chances to fight for the title vanished.
“I had one really bad day, and that cost me in the end. But winning five matches in a row, even if the stakes aren’t that high, feels really good,” said Carlsen after taking home $100,000.
“It was a bit up and down but overall I’m fairly happy with my level in those few games. I felt like I finished off with a really nice win as Black. It builds confidence for my next event. Things obviously weren’t looking that rosy on Wednesday, and I was pretty hard on myself then as well. But now winning the last few matches is always nice. I’m not going to win every tournament but I’m very happy with the way I fought back. So, I will definitely take some positives from this tournament.”
R Praggnanandhaa’s fearless performance against the world’s best is a clear sign of India’s growing presence in elite chess. Despite finishing in 7th place, Pragg’s bold performance grabbed international attention. Meanwhile, Levon Aronian clinched the title in an all-American final, underlining the growing strength of the U.S. chess scene. With one leg remaining in the tour, the race for the Freestyle Chess Champion title is heating up.
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