The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas has quickly become one of the most gripping events on the global chess calendar. With randomized starting positions and no opening theory to rely on, the format levels the playing field and demands pure creativity, deep calculation, and adaptability.
What Is Freestyle Chess?
Freestyle Chess, also known as Chess960, begins with a shuffled back-rank setup, forcing players to think from the first move. Without memorized openings or prepared lines, competitors must rely on raw skill and real-time strategy.
This format has gained massive traction thanks in part to Magnus Carlsen, who co-founded the Grand Slam Tour in an effort to reinvigorate top-level chess. It has already proven wildly popular among both fans and professionals, offering unpredictable games and far fewer draws compared to traditional formats.
Quarterfinals Recap
The Las Vegas edition of the $750,000 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam has lived up to the hype, delivering dramatic battles and long, high-stakes matches. After a grueling 10-hour day of competition, four semifinalists have emerged:
- Aronian Eliminates Both Carlsen and Nakamura
GM Levon Aronian continued his remarkable run by defeating GM Hikaru Nakamura 2.5–1.5, just one day after knocking out GM Magnus Carlsen. After dropping the first game, Aronian showed impressive resilience by winning both tiebreaks. His ability to recover under pressure has made him one of the tournament’s standout performers.
- Caruana Outlasts Praggnanandhaa in a Thriller
GM Fabiano Caruana survived a seven-game slugfest against GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa. After losing the first 30-minute game, Caruana struck back in must-win fashion. The match escalated through rapid, blitz, and ultimately an Armageddon tiebreak, where Caruana secured victory with the black pieces and draw odds. He later called the match “crazy” and one of the longest he has ever played.
- Niemann Cruises Through Tiebreaks
GM Hans Niemann advanced by defeating GM Javokhir Sindarov in blitz tiebreaks after the rapid games ended in draws. Although Sindarov briefly leveled the match, Niemann dominated the final two blitz games, showing confident and controlled play throughout.
- Arjun Wins Cleanly
GM Arjun Erigaisi was the only semifinalist to avoid tiebreaks. He defeated GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov 1.5–0.5 with a strong performance, particularly in the second game where he won an exchange early and never let his opponent recover.
Lower Bracket: Carlsen and So Still in the Mix
While Carlsen cannot win the tournament outright, he remains in contention for the $100,000 third-place prize. He rebounded from his loss to Aronian with a dominant 2–0 win over GM Vidit Gujrathi. GM Wesley So, GM Vincent Keymer, and GM Leinier Dominguez also stayed alive by eliminating their respective opponents.
Semifinal Pairings
- Aronian vs Arjun
- Caruana vs Niemann
Las Vegas has become the battleground for a thrilling experiment in competitive chess. With legends like Carlsen, Aronian, and Caruana fighting alongside rising stars like Arjun and Niemann, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam is proving that chess can still evolve and surprise.
Stay tuned for tournament’s updates and more about freestyle chess. Keep following The New England Chess School and learn with us!