Exciting Start to the 2025 Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam!

The 2025 Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam kicked off with a thrilling start on Monday, with only six out of 36 games ending in draws. World number-one Magnus Carlsen and late addition GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov emerged as the early leaders, each with 5/6 points after the first day of rapid chess rounds.

Leading up to the event, organizer Jan Henric Buettner announced state-of-the-art cheat detection measures, ensuring fair play throughout the tournament. The late withdrawal of GM Hans Niemann added a touch of drama to the event, but the competition remained fierce.

The format of the Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam includes a round-robin rapid tournament with a time control of 10 minutes per player, followed by a knockout stage for the top-eight players. The players are vying for a $200,000 first prize, with a total prize fund of $680,000 up for grabs.

Abdusattorov, who was a last-minute addition to the event, surprised everyone by winning his first three games and finishing the day with 5/6 points. Carlsen, despite a round-two loss, bounced back with impressive wins, including a thrilling victory against Hikaru Nakamura.

Other notable performances included Maxime Vachier-Lagrave’s creative stalemate trick and Ian Nepomniachtchi’s strong start with 4/6 points. However, Vincent Keymer, Gukesh Dommaraju, Vidit Gujrathi, and Richard Rapport are in danger of missing the cutoff for the knockout stage with lower scores.

As the tournament progresses, four players will be eliminated, while eight will advance to the main knockout. With intense competition and high stakes, the Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam promises to deliver more excitement in the days to come. Stay tuned for updates on the tournament’s progress and watch the action unfold in the world of freestyle chess.