Exciting Quarterfinal Matchups Set in 2025 Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam

In a thrilling turn of events at the 2025 Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi managed to catch up with World Blitz Co-Champion GM Magnus Carlsen by scoring an impressive 4.5/5 in the Round-Robin stage. The two chess giants now find themselves tied for first place as they head into the Quarterfinals of the tournament.

Joining Nepomniachtchi and Carlsen in the Quarterfinals are GMs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Arjun Erigaisi, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Hikaru Nakamura, Vincent Keymer, and Fabiano Caruana. The top finishers had the opportunity to pick their opponents from places 5-8 at a dinner after the round, setting the stage for some intense matchups.

Abdusattorov also managed to secure his spot in the Quarterfinals, while World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, GM Richard Rapport, GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and GM Vidit Gujrathi will compete in a separate tournament for places 9-12.

The Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam features a total prize fund of $680,000, with the winner set to take home $200,000. The tournament format includes a Round-Robin rapid tournament followed by a Knockout stage for the top-eight players.

With the Quarterfinals set to begin, the excitement is palpable as the top players gear up for intense battles on the chessboard. Who will emerge victorious in the knockout stage? Stay tuned to find out!