Recap of the 2025 Grenke Chess Festival: Carlsen Dominates, Maghsoodloo Qualifies for Las Vegas

The Grenke Chess Festival in Karlsruhe, Germany, was a thrilling event that saw top grandmasters and amateurs compete in a unique blend of classical and freestyle chess. The Freestyle A-Open, with a prize fund of 225,000 Euros, attracted the strongest competitors, including the legendary GM Magnus Carlsen, who dominated with a perfect 9/9 performance.

One of the most intriguing moments of the tournament was when American GM Awonder Liang transferred his points from the classical A-Open to the Freestyle A-Open, only to face Carlsen himself. Despite Liang’s creativity and comfort in unorthodox positions, Carlsen quickly gained the upper hand and emerged victorious.

In the classical A-Open, American GM Brandon Jacobson and Indian IM S. Aswath tied for first place with an impressive 8/9 score. Aswath claimed the first-place trophy on tie-breaks and also earned a GM norm, while Jacobson took home a share of the top prize.

Another standout performer was 12-year-old WFM Megan Paragua, who crossed the 2300 FIDE rating threshold during the tournament, making her eligible for the FM title at the next FIDE Congress. Paragua’s achievement has drawn comparisons to other young chess prodigies like GM Hou Yifan and IM Alice Lee.

Overall, the Grenke Chess Festival showcased the incredible talent and competitive spirit of players from around the world, making it a memorable event for chess enthusiasts everywhere.