Daijiworld Media Network - South Africa
South Africa, Dec 5: The countdown has begun for the highly anticipated Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 Finals, set to commence on Monday, December 8, at the picturesque Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, near Cape Town. The elite Chess960 tournament will see eight top global chess stars battle for supremacy in the year-long tour finale.
Ahead of the main event, Thursday, December 4 witnessed a series of engaging side events across Cape Town. Chess fans were treated to a unique spectacle as GM Hans Niemann defeated GM Fabiano Caruana in the thrilling Chess960 Dive Chess Final held in the rooftop pool of the Silo Hotel. Meanwhile, newly crowned 2025 FIDE World Cup champion GM Javokhir Sindarov secured third place after overcoming GM Vidit Gujrathi.
In another fan-connect initiative, four participating players visited the University of the Western Cape, where they interacted with nearly 200 enthusiasts and took part in dual simuls across more than 40 boards. GM Vincent Keymer and GM Peter Leko, playing alternately, remained unbeaten with 18 wins and 2 draws. However, GM Magnus Carlsen and GM Levon Aronian faced tougher challenges, registering 15 wins, one draw, and four defeats — with Aronian choosing a different opening in each game.
Adding to the excitement, GM Parham Maghsoodloo impressed spectators by defeating every fan challenger during a 2.5-hour blitz session, where he played with just 30 seconds on the clock against opponents holding five minutes.
The day concluded with an opening press conference featuring tournament founder Jan Henric Buettner and the world’s top-ranked Chess960 pioneer GM Magnus Carlsen. “We want to conquer the continents. This is the fourth continent where we’re holding a tournament,” Buettner said, highlighting that the Cape Town event marks the seventh tournament since the series launch in 2024.
With enthusiasm soaring and players already in competitive rhythm, the stage is set for an exhilarating showdown as the Finals get underway.