Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour: Keymer Triumphs, Gukesh Disappoints, Erigaisi Shines

The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour kicked off with a bang at Weissenhaus this month, with Vincent Keymer emerging victorious after defeating Fabiano Caruana in the final. Keymer not only claimed the title but also walked away with a whopping 200,000 dollars in prize money, while Caruana settled for 140,000 dollars.

However, it was a different story for Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh, who had a disappointing campaign and finished at the bottom of the standings. Despite his lackluster performance, Gukesh still managed to secure a prize of 20,000 dollars, which amounts to approximately ₹17,33,367 lakh.

On the other hand, Arjun Erigaisi, another member of the Freestyle Chess Players Club, had a remarkable run and earned a staggering 27,132 dollars (₹23,51,485 lakh approximately, after tax deductions) as a non-participating member.

Erigaisi, whose current FIDE Elo rating stands at 2801, will also be competing in the upcoming Paris Grand Slam in April. The Freestyle Chess Players Club has confirmed that non-participating members with a classical Elo rating of over 2725 will receive a share of the prize money, with a total prize pool of 90,000 dollars allocated for them.

Meanwhile, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen’s journey in the tournament came to an end in the semi-finals, as he was defeated by Keymer. Carlsen still managed to secure a prize of 100,000 dollars for his efforts.

Erigaisi’s recent victories against strong opponents like Gukesh and Nodirbek Abdusattorov have showcased his potential, and fans are eagerly awaiting his performance in the upcoming Paris Grand Slam. With his impressive gameplay and determination, Erigaisi is definitely a player to watch out for in the world of chess.