Paris Freestyle Chess: Arjun only Indian to Qualify; Nepo, Carlsen Lead Field

Paris, 08 April 2025: The preliminary stage of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Paris concluded on Tuesday after eleven rounds of play. Twelve players competed for eight spots in the knockout stage. Ian Nepomniachtchi and Magnus Carlsen both finished with 8.5 points. It was Nepomniachtchi who topped the standings thanks to superior tiebreaks.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave followed in third place with 7 points, ahead of Arjun Erigaisi and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who both scored 6.5. Hikaru Nakamura qualified with 6 points after defending a difficult endgame against Abdusattorov under time pressure.

Only Indian to get through prelims as Gukesh, Praggnanandha and Vidit knocked out Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour II - Paris Photo by Freestyle Chess/Lennart Ootes

One of the most notable results of the day was the elimination of World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju. The 18-year-old went into the final day with just 1.5 points and was unable to fully recover. A mistake in the opening against Nepomniachtchi in round 11 left him in trouble as early as move seven.

Further down the table, Vincent Keymer secured qualification with a win over Fabiano Caruana in the final round. That result brought Keymer to 5.5 points and ensured his place in the top eight. Despite his loss, Caruana also advanced with 4.5 points, benefiting from Nakamura’s win over Richard Rapport in the last game.

Praggnanandhaa, Rapport, and Vidit Gujrathi were also eliminated. Vidit recorded a notable win over Caruana with a tactical mating idea, but previous results had left the newlywed with too much ground to make up. Rapport showed flashes of creativity—including a queen sacrifice for mate—but could not accumulate enough points to qualify.

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Gukesh, Vidit, Pragg, Arjun begin Quest at Freestyle Chess 2nd Leg in Paris

Paris, April 7 2025 - The second Freestyle Chess Grand Slam of the year is underway in Paris. From April 7 to 14, twelve of the world’s top grandmasters are battling for a $750,000 prize fund—$200,000 for the winner—in a format that has already redefined elite chess competition.

Freestyle CEO Jan Henric Buettner and his team are determined to build on the momentum: “The first Grand Slam in Weissenhaus was a huge success – we tripled the reach compared to the inaugural Freestyle tournament at the same venue the year before,” says Freestyle COO Thomas Harsch. With that experience in mind, the journey continues in one of the most vibrant cities in Europe. Buettner: “We’re constantly learning – but one thing is guaranteed: the very best are playing.”

The exclusive Pavillon Chesnaie du Roy, nestled in the Bois de Vincennes, hosts the high-stakes event in Paris. With randomized back-rank positions in every game, Freestyle Chess removes memorized openings and rewards pure chess skill: creativity, calculation, and adaptability.

 

A Clash of Champions: Keymer vs. Carlsen?

All eyes are on Germany’s Vincent Keymer, the surprise winner of the inaugural Grand Slam in Weissenhaus. Can the 20-year-old repeat his stunning run? Will Magnus Carlsen, the world number one, return with vengeance and restore order at the top?

“Mind against mind. Freestyle against the world’s best is the ultimate challenge,” says Carlsen. He’s looking forward to the tournament in Paris — and to the unique creative possibilities Freestyle Chess offers from the very first move. “For the spectators, it’s exciting to watch the best players take on this challenge.”

With only the top three players securing automatic qualification for the next Grand Slam in New York this July, every point in Paris counts.

Line-Up Update: Rapport, Abdusattorov In – Firouzja, Niemann Out

Two late changes add extra intrigue: French number one Alireza Firouzja and wildcard Hans Niemann have withdrawn. Stepping in are Hungary’s Richard Rapport and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Fan favorite Rapport, runner-up in the official Qualification Tournament, is renowned for his bold, imaginative play. His presence injects fresh energy into an already world-class field. The same goes for Nodirbek Abdusattorov, whose uncompromising, fighting style has made him one of the most dangerous players on the circuit. On a good day, the tricky and unpredictable world No. 6 can take down anyone.

Paris Line-Up:

Magnus Carlsen

Gukesh Dommaraju (World Champion)

Fabiano Caruana 

Hikaru Nakamura

Ian Nepomniachtchi

Vincent Keymer

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

Praggnanandhaa R.

Arjun Erigaisi

Vidit Santosh Gujarathi (Qualification winner)

Richard Rapport (Qualification runner-up)

Nodirbek Abdusattorov

 

The Road Ahead

After Paris, the Grenke Freestyle Open in Karlsruhe, Germany (April 17–21) promises to set participation records, featuring stars like Carlsen and Keymer. The winner there will claim a ticket to the New York Grand Slam—making the upcoming weeks decisive in the Freestyle Chess calendar.

With elite names, unpredictable positions, and momentum on the line, Paris sets the tone for a dramatic spring in world chess.

 

For schedule, pairings, and live coverage, visit: freestylechess.com

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Weissenhaus Players Decide to Call Tour Winner Freestyle Chess Champion

February 10, 2025 – At a Sunday evening meeting in Weissenhaus with organizer Jan Henric Buettner, 12 Freestyle Chess Players Club members unanimously decided that the 2025 Grand Slam Tour winner in December (South Africa) will be titled "Freestyle Chess Champion." They also plan to form their own independent association with a qualified legal team to represent their interests.

The Sunday evening meeting, following the first day of the quarterfinals, included all Freestyle Chess Grand Slam participants in Weissenhaus and remote members of the Freestyle Chess Players Club. They agreed to temporarily avoid using "world" to counter FIDE's unfounded claims of ownership over such word.

"This was never our intention, as we have always called our events 'G.O.A.T. Challenge' or 'Grand Slam,'" said Jan Henric Buettner. "It’s important to note that this decision was made by the players, not by Freestyle – and certainly not by FIDE." The title "Freestyle Chess Champion" will apply for the 2025 season. At year’s end, organizers and players will review and discuss the 2026 Tour, including the title at stake.

Another key outcome of Sunday’s roundtable in Weissenhaus was the players’ plan to establish an independent association representing top chess players, staffed with a qualified legal team. This move comes in direct response to recent clashes with FIDE.

Last month, FIDE demanded that players sign a legally questionable document, setting an inconvenient deadline right after the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, where many were competing. The document required them to (i) acknowledge an alleged obligation not to compete in non-FIDE events crowning a World Champion or similar title and (ii) accept a ban from future FIDE World Championship cycles if they violated this rule.

The players, some still teenagers, were notified by FIDE’s Legal Director and were given no chance for legal counsel to review the demand. "These repeated harassments are outrageous," said Buettner. "We strongly oppose FIDE’s coercive tactics, which pressure players to forgo their right to choose which events to play."

"We were ready to take all necessary action to defend the freedom of the players." But in Sunday’s meeting, players unanimously agreed to ignore FIDE’s demands, refusing to be forced into choosing between exciting new events and future FIDE participation.

Monday marks the second day of quarterfinals in Weissenhaus, the first of five tournaments in the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, which features a $750,000 prize fund.

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Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025 US, Germany, South Africa Dates Announced

Hamburg, October 1, 2024 – The first dates for the new Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025 with Magnus Carlsen have been set: The elite of chess will initially meet from 7 to 14 February in Weissenhaus in northern Germany. The second event is planned for 17 to 24 July in the USA. In December 2025, the event will then move to South Africa, where it will be played from 1 to 8 December. The specific venues will be announced later.

"We are very pleased about these concrete steps towards the globalization of Freestyle Chess and are convinced that the Grand Slam will take chess as a spectator event into a new dimension,” said entrepreneur and investor Jan Henric Buettner, who launched the new series together with the world’s best chess player Magnus Carlsen.

Thomas Harsch, who was appointed Managing Director of Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH on 1 September, added: "The opening tournament this February in Weissenhaus, Germany, has already received an overwhelmingly positive response from players, fans and the media around the world. Chess interest in the USA is traditionally very good, and in Africa, there is huge untapped potential that we now want to realize.”

The newly founded Hamburg-based company Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH will organize six to eight Grand Slam tournaments a year on all continents. Magnus Carlsen, the greatest chess player of his era and co-founder of the new tour, will take part in all tournaments. The prize money to be shared between the players is 750,000 US dollars for each of the first three tournaments and 1 million US dollars for the subsequent tournaments. Freestyle Chess retains the core elements of traditional chess but offers a new twist: the pieces on the baseline are placed randomly. Also known as Fischer Random, this innovative setup brings new strategic options and greater unpredictability to the game, promoting a fresh, new way of competing.

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€10 Million Funding to Fuel Carlsen's Global Freestyle Chess Revolution

Photo: Free Style Official Website

Chess legend Magnus Carlsen, investor Jan Henric Buettner, VC Left Lane Capital, launch new company to revolutionize professional chess
NEW YORK and HAMBURG, Germany, July 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Freestyle Chess, a groundbreaking new venture founded by Magnus Carlsen and Jan Henric Buettner, announced today that it is raising €10 million in funding from Left Lane Capital. This significant investment will be used to establish a leading tournament series that aims to revolutionize the world of chess.

The event series will showcase the world's best chess players, each with compelling stories, in a completely new and attractive format for media, spectators, and consumers. The 25 Super Grand Masters currently representing the total of the Freestyle Chess Players Club all have an ELO rating above 2725. The world's top-players will be front and center to this new, mass-market-oriented chess series, where nine Super Grand Masters are handpicked by Magnus Carlsen, who has committed himself to playing Freestyle Chess exclusively at the Grand Slam series. All tournaments will be held in exclusive venues with an aura of luxury and style, with all games played according to chess960 rules. Freestyle Chess already had a tournament in February as a blueprint that set the bar high.

The company will organize six to eight Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tournaments per year across all continents, introducing Freestyle Chess as an exciting new global event series. The prize funding for the tournaments that will be distributed among the players has been set to $750,000 for each of the first three events, and $1 million for every tournament thereafter. Freestyle Chess maintains the core elements of traditional chess but with a twist: the back row is randomized. This setup is Fischer Random and adds new strategic elements and unpredictability to the game, fostering a fresh era of competitive play.

"Chess needs to evolve into a more dynamic and captivating spectacle, one that allows players to showcase their skills from the first move," says Magnus Carlsen, Co-founder of Freestyle Chess, who has been instrumental in shaping the format for Freestyle Chess competitions. "Modern chess variants like Fischer Random will define the future of chess, which needs to evolve to more thrilling gameplay."

Jan Henric Buettner and Magnus Carlsen are opening up a new chapter in the history of chess. Jan Henric Buettner, German Entrepreneur, founded and led AOL Europe in the mid-1990's and started Headline VC where he managed over a billion euros in startup investments, including GoTo Meeting, Groupon, and Sonos. His co-founder, Magnus Carlsen, a chess prodigy, became a grandmaster at the age of 13 and has held the number one spot in the FIDE world chess rankings since 2011. He is considered one of the greatest chess players of all time.

Harley Miller, CEO and Managing Partner of Left Lane Capital, recognizes the immense potential of this innovative chess format and remarked, "Any time you have the best athletes in the world competing at the absolute highest standard of play, coupled with more avant garde storytelling and showmanship, you inherently will build something of great consequence. Freestyle Chess has the potential to become a mainstream sporting spectacle, akin to Formula 1, or ATP Tennis."

This new capital will be used to fuel the development of Freestyle Chess, organize and host the inaugural Grand Slam tournaments across different continents, enhance the digital experience and develop new product features, hire additional team members across various functions, and increase marketing efforts to grow the reach of the game.

Freestyle Chess: www.freestyle-chess.com

ABOUT LEFT LANE CAPITAL

Founded in 2019, Left Lane Capital is a New York and London-based global venture capital and growth equity firm investing in internet and technology companies with a consumer orientation. Left Lane's mission is to partner with extraordinary entrepreneurs who create category-defining companies across growth sectors of the economy, including software, healthcare, e-commerce, consumer, fintech, medtech, and other industries. Select investments include Kings League, LOVB, Bilt Rewards, Blank Street, M1 Finance, Wayflyer, Masterworks, Talkiatry, Kittl, and more. For more information, please visit www.leftlane.com.
SOURCE Left Lane Capital

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