GMs Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymerand Javokhir Sindarov are through to the 2025 Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Semifinals. Carlsen won for the second time against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorovas did Caruana against World Champion Gukesh dommaraju (in just 18 moves). After a back-and-forth struggle that’s our Game of the Day, Keymer ultimately forced a draw from a winning position against GM Alireza Firouzja to win the match. Lastly, GM Javokhir Sindarov upset the Fischer Random World Champion Hikaru Nakamura by sweeping the rapid playoffs 2-0, after two draws in the classical portion.
GM Levon Aronian won the consolation match for ninth place against GM Vladimir Fedoseev after playing a brilliant piece sacrifice out of the opening. In a pawn-up endgame, he forced a draw since it was enough.
This is a flash report. The full article will be added to this page soon!
Day five of the 2025 Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, featuring the Semifinals, begins on Tuesday, February 11, at 7 a.m. ET / 13:00 CET / 5:30 p.m. IST.
Knockout Day 2 Results
Main Bracket
GM Rafael Leitao takes a look at the Game of the Day below.
How To Watch
The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam starts with the $750,000 first of five legs in Weissenhaus, Germany, on February 7-14. The 10 players first play each other once in 10+10 rapid chess, with the bottom two eliminated and the top players choosing their opponents in the knockout. Each knockout round consists of two-game 90+30 classical chess matches. In case of a tie, two 10+10 games are played. If still tied, two 5+2 games are played, then a single armageddon game. All games are played in freestyle chess.
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