2024 Champions Chess Tour Finals Update: Carlsen and Firouzja Advance to Semifinals

The 2024 Champions Chess Tour Finals is heating up as GMs Magnus Carlsen and Alireza Firouzja secured their spots in the Semifinals by finishing as the top two in the round-robin stage. On the other hand, GMs Ian Nepomniachtchi and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave advanced through the Survival Stage to join them in the Semifinals.

Unfortunately, GMs Denis Lazavik, Vincent Keymer, Levon Aronian, and Wesley So were eliminated on Thursday after finishing at the bottom of the round-robin standings. Aronian and So, despite winning their last matches, couldn’t secure a spot in the Semifinals.

The Semifinals are set to take place on Friday, December 20, with Carlsen facing off against Vachier-Lagrave and Firouzja taking on Nepomniachtchi. The competition promises to be intense as the players battle it out for a chance to advance to the final.

In the Survival Stage, Nepomniachtchi secured his spot in the Semifinals by defeating Lazavik, while Vachier-Lagrave outlasted Keymer to earn his place. Vachier-Lagrave then went on to defeat Lazavik in a long endgame to secure the final spot in the Semifinals.

The 2024 Champions Chess Tour Finals in Oslo, Norway, features a prize fund of $500,000, with $200,000 going to the winner. The competition has been fierce, with players showcasing their skills and determination to come out on top. Stay tuned for more exciting chess action as the tournament reaches its climax.