Magnus Carlsen reaffirmed his dominance in world chess by winning the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour.
The World No. 1 rallied from a game down to defeat Fabiano Caruana in the quarterfinal tiebreaks, advanced to the semifinals, and sealed the championship on points. With a strong lead throughout the calendar year, Carlsen only needed a top-four finish in South Africa to secure the crown.
India’s No. 1 Arjun Erigaisi faced Vincent Keymer in a tense quarterfinal clash. Arjun held Keymer to a 50-move draw in the opening game and looked promising in the second. However, a critical blunder on the 24th move shifted momentum. Keymer capitalised with sharp bishop play, captured Arjun’s rook on the 31st move, and forced resignation by the 39th.
Meanwhile, Javokhir Sindarov, the youngest World Cup winner, marked his 20th birthday with a commanding 2-0 victory over Parham Maghsoodloo. Sindarov’s triumph set up a semifinal showdown against Carlsen. In another quarterfinal, Levon Aronian outclassed Hans Niemann 3-1, earning a semifinal berth against Keymer.
Arjun now prepares to face Niemann in the lower half of the semifinal bracket, where he will battle for a third-place finish. The tournament highlights both Carlsen’s consistency and the rising challenges from young talents like Sindarov and Keymer.
