Magnus Carlsen Wins Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Paris; Arjun Erigaisi Impresses on Debut

The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Paris concluded with a thrilling final between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, where Carlsen emerged victorious with a 1.5-0.5 scoreline. Nakamura, who was playing with black pieces in Game 1, made a crucial blunder in his 35th move, allowing Carlsen to take the lead. Despite playing with white pieces in Game 2, Nakamura was unable to mount a comeback, and Carlsen sealed his triumph with a comfortable draw.

In the previous leg of the Grand Slam Tour in Weissenhaus, Fabiano Caruana and Vincent Keymer were the finalists, with Keymer pulling off a stunning victory over Carlsen in the semi-finals. However, Caruana avenged the loss by defeating Keymer in the final with a 1.5-0.5 scoreline.

One of the standout performers in the Paris leg was Arjun Erigaisi, who finished fourth at the end of the round-robin stage and fifth in the final standings. Erigaisi impressed by defeating top players like Carlsen and Caruana, showcasing his skills in the Freestyle format.

With his triumph in Paris, Carlsen surged to the top of the overall Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour standings with 40 points, surpassing Keymer. Caruana and Nakamura also secured top positions in the standings after their performances in Weissenhaus and Paris.

The updated standings also reflect the total prize money won so far by the players, with Carlsen leading the pack with $300,000 in winnings. The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour continues to showcase intense competition and exciting matchups among the world’s top chess players.