Top GMs Qualify for Knockout Stage of 2025 Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Play-In

Four Grandmasters, Amin Tabatabaei, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Rauf Mamedov, and M Pranesh, have secured their spots in the Knockout Stage of the 2025 Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Play-In after scoring an impressive 7.5/9 in the Swiss Stage. They will be competing against the likes of Ding Liren and Nodirbek Abdusattorov for the final spot in Paris, where World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Magnus Carlsen await.

The 16-player Knockout is set to take place on Thursday-Friday, March 13-14, starting at 11:00 ET / 16:00 CET / 8:30 p.m. IST. The top-four finishers from the Swiss Stage will join 12 invited players in the Knockout bracket.

The stakes are high in the Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Play-In, with a $50,000 prize fund up for grabs. The winner will take home $10,000, while the runner-up will receive $9,000, with prizes going down to $500 for players finishing 9th-16th.

Tabatabaei emerged as the top performer in the Swiss Stage, finishing with a perfect 7/7 score before securing his spot in the Knockout despite a last-round loss. Other qualifiers include Nguyen, Mamedov, and Pranesh, who showcased their skills and determination throughout the tournament.

Unfortunately, players like Jumabayev, Grischuk, and Sevian narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Knockout, with tiebreaks playing a crucial role in determining the final standings.

The excitement continues as the Knockout Stage promises thrilling matchups between the top players in the field. Fans can watch the action unfold on Chess.com as the players battle it out for a chance to compete in the prestigious Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.