Magnus Carlsen, the world’s highest FIDE-rated player, has once again proven his dominance as one of the greatest by winning and dominating the Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.
The event, which is one of a series, was held in Paris, France, from April 7th to 14th, 2025.
Carlsen defeated his long-time rival Hikaru Nakamura to win the $200,000 first prize and solidified his standing at the Grand Slam Tour Standings.
A Tournament Unlike Any Other
The Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam is the second in a series of tours that feature the Chess960 variant of the royal game, where the back pieces are randomly placed with the standard starting position excluded.
Notably, the format is engaging, encouraging players to think creatively, calculate real-time moves, and understand positions effectively.
The event brought together 12 of the world’s best chess players in two stages.
The initial round-robin stage featured rapid time control of 10 minutes per game with a 10-second increment per move. This was followed by the classical knockout stage, where each game had a set 90 minutes with a 30-second increment.
The last-minute withdrawal of American Grandmaster Hans Nieman added even more drama to an already exciting tournament buildup, heightened the tension and intrigue.
Grandmaster Hans Niemann was initially given a wild-card entry to the event. Hans Niemann expressed appreciation and anticipation toward the event, only to withdraw for “personal reasons” less than 48 hours before the start.
His actions sparked another controversy and drama among fans and chess enthusiasts.
Tournament CEO Jan Henric Buettner publicly expressed dissatisfaction, mentioning that many attempts to reach Niemann had gone unanswered.
Hans Niemann’s exit led to Nodirbek Abdusattorov, a former World Rapid Champion, taking his spot in the tournament.
The Final Showdown: Carlsen vs. Nakamura
In the Grand Final, Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura—two of the biggest names in chess—clashed in a Chess960 masterclass.
In the first game, Magnus secured an early match advantage by capitalizing on Hikaru’s mistake to go a full point up. Carlsen again effectively neutralized Hikaru’s perfect attacking play to secure a draw in the second game, bringing the match to a 1.5-0.5 scoreline with no tie-break.
Magnus performed phenomenally, winning all matches in classical time control without going into rapid or blitz-type breaks. His performance in Paris secured him the event’s top cash prize and tournament win, increasing his overall Grand Slam total points to 40 and consolidating his lead.
The Other Showdowns
Although Carlsen’s victory was the headline, the tournament was filled with on- and off-the-board drama that captured the chess community.
The controversy surrounding Hans Niemann’s withdrawal added an unexpected drama to the Paris event.
Hans Neimann, who has had a long history of cheating allegations and controversies, was highly expected by fans eager to see how he would fare against the world elite since his last outing against Daniil Dubov.
However, his sudden exit for reasons he describes as “personal” without further explanation only brought questions and debate online.
Many fans and chess enthusiasts questioned the timing and transparency of his decision.
In contrast, others saw it as an inevitable fallout from unresolved contractual issues that had already led to Alireza Firouzja’s earlier withdrawal from the circuit.
The dramatic dropouts and the eventual inclusion of Nodirbek Abdulsattarov, who arrived in Paris on short notice, slightly changed the dynamic of the tournaments.
Additional Results: Battles for the Podium and Lower Placements
Players Who Performed as Expected
U.S. grandmaster Fabiano Caruana defeated Germany’s Vincent Keymer 1.5–0.5 in the third-place playoff.
Caruana’s impressive performance in this match not only earned him the bronze medal but also earned him a direct qualification to the next Grand Slam event, which will be held in Las Vegas in July.
Indian top player Arjun Erigaisi also delivered a breakthrough performance in his Paris debut, finishing fifth after narrowly defeating French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
Dramatic swings punctuated Erigaisi’s journey as he overcame early adversities in the round-robin stage, where he had once edged past even top-seeded players like Carlsen and Caruana, to secure his spot in the knockout bracket.
Despite the fierce competition, his continued success has positioned him as one of the new format stars.
In another key fixture, Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi won 2–0 over Nodirbek Abdusattorov to take seventh place.
This result underscored Nepomniachtchi’s resilience and ability to perform under pressure, even as he trailed in the overall standings compared to his illustrious rivals.
Players Who Performed Below Expectations
Meanwhile, several players fell short during the rapid round-robin stage, including world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Richard Rapport, R. Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit Gujrathi, who were slated to compete in a separate bracket for the lower positions (9th–12th).
This structure guaranteed every participant could earn tour points, emphasizing the event’s commitment to fostering a competitive spirit at all levels.
Prize Money and Points awarded
- 1st Place: Magnus Carlsen—$200,000 (25 Grand Slam points)
- 2nd Place: Hikaru Nakamura—$140,000 (18 points)
- 3rd Place: Fabiano Caruana—$100,000 (15 points)
- 4th Place: Vincent Keymer—$60,000 (12 points)
- 5th Place: Arjun Erigaisi—$50,000 (10 points)
- 6th Place: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave—$40,000 (8 points)
- 7th Place: Ian Nepomniachtchi—$30,000 (6 points)
- 8th Place: Nodirbek Abdusattorov—$20,000 (4 points)
Looking Ahead: The Future of Freestyle Chess
Freestyle Chess is here to stay; one can only expect the new drama it will bring. What future battles with FIDE can we expect?
Looking forward to upcoming events in Las Vegas, New York, Delhi, and Cape Town later this year, many are eager to see how the drama in Paris will influence the future stages of the tour.
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