Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Day 1: Carlsen, Abdusattorov Lead

The 2025 Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam began with a bang on Monday. The primary day featured six rounds of fast chess and solely six of the 36 video games resulted in attracts! World number-one Magnus Carlsen and late addition GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov emerged because the early leaders, every with 5/6 factors.

Weekend Drama

The weekend earlier than the occasion started, organizer Jan Henric Buettner introduced that the occasion would have state-of-the-art cheat detection in place. He described the provisions within the earlier Freestyle occasion as “extra like airport safety. Now we’ve got CIA sort…” You possibly can hear his dialogue of safety in addition to the late withdrawal of GM Hans Niemann from the occasion in a brand new interview.

Standings After Day 1

Format

The Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam is the second of 5 occasions on the multi-million greenback Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. It options 12 individuals, together with many of the top-rated gamers on this planet.

The primary two days see a round-robin fast match with a time management of 10 minutes per participant, with a 10-second increment added every transfer. After that, solely the top-eight gamers advance to play a knockout for the primary prize.

Gamers are competing for a $200,000 first prize, with a complete prize fund of $680,000 for the occasion.

Carlsen, Abdusattorov Take The Lead

Carlsen overcame a round-two loss in opposition to GM Arjun Erigaisi to win the remainder of his video games, together with a thriller in spherical 5 in opposition to GM Hikaru Nakamura. 

Each gamers’ heartrates climb to round 130 as Carlsen beats Nakamura within the penultimate spherical of the day! #FreestyleChess pic.twitter.com/sBMQRlWEED

— chess24 (@chess24com) April 7, 2025

Nakamura nonetheless had a strong day, ending with 3.5/6.

GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave additionally had a powerful efficiency, scoring 4.5/6. He used a stalemate trick to avoid wasting a troublesome half-point in opposition to Hikaru.

Maxime @Vachier_Lagrave with a highly-advanced Botez Gambit! pic.twitter.com/zcdHwa8P8K

— Take Take Take (@TakeTakeTakeApp) April 7, 2025

GM Ian Nepomniachtchi was one other participant to start out properly, with 4/6, and Arjun rounds out the leaders with 3.5/6. Because the top-eight gamers qualify for the primary knockout, any constructive rating by the primary half of the round-robin places gamers in a superb place. 

Arjun practically gained an exhilarating ending in opposition to GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, however needed to accept a attract a sophisticated wrestle.

Weissenhaus Champion And World Champion At Danger Of Being Eradicated

GM Vincent Keymer was the shock winner of the earlier Freestyle Chess Grand Slam match, however he’s at risk of lacking the cutoff with solely 2/6 up to now. In much more hassle is World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, who has just one.5/6. The one gamers in additional hassle than these two are newly-wed GM Vidit Gujrathi, having a troublesome honeymoon with 1/6, and GM Richard Rapport, who’s enjoying as a alternative for GM Alireza Firouzja, and can also be on 1/6. At simply over the midway level of the round-robin, these 4 gamers are on monitor to be knocked out of the battle for $200,000 if they can not choose up the tempo.

Tomorrow will see 4 gamers eradicated from the race, whereas eight advance to the primary knockout. Who do you anticipate to make it? Tell us within the feedback.