Freestyle Grand Slam Tour Stage 1: Carlsen slayers Caruana and Sindarov emerge coleaders

by Shahid Ahmed - 08/02/2025

Freestyle Grand Slam Tour Stage 1 is off to a great start. Fabiano Caruana (USA) and Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) have emerged coleaders 4.5/5. Both of them defeated the Magnus Carlsen (NOR). Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) was the only other player to beat the World no.1. Alireza Firouzja (FRA) is at a full point behind the leaders at 3.5/5 each. He is the only player who managed to beat the World Champion, D Gukesh. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) has made a 50% start 2.5/5. Carlsen, Gukesh, Hikaru Nakamura (USA) and Vincent Keymer (GER) are at 2/5 each. Round 6 starts today from 1 p.m. local time, 5:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Magnus loses three in first five rounds

The World no.1, Magnus Carlsen (NOR) had a rough start. He lost three games in the first five rounds, finishing the day with two consecutive losses. He is now on a hat-trick of losses. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) has the unique opportunity to hand Carlsen the unique feat.

Fabiano Caruana (USA) and Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) have emerged coleaders after the first five rounds | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Round 1: Abdusattorov - Gukesh: 0.5-0.5

Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) and D Gukesh drew their first round game after the former ended up having double knights.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) - D Gukesh: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Magnus Carlsen (NOR) started the day with a win over Hikaru Nakamura (USA).

Magnus Carlsen (NOR) - Hikaru Nakamura (USA): 1-0 | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Round 2: Gukesh - Firouzja: 0-1

D Gukesh suffered his first and only loss of the day against Alireza Firouzja (FRA)

Caruana - Carlsen: 1-0

In a worse position, Magnus Carlsen (NOR) made an incorrect exchange sacrifice against Fabiano Caruana (USA). He arrived at a lost position by move no.13. It all went downhill from there.

Position after 12.Qe2

12...Rxd5?? did not help Black. 13.exd5 Qxe2 14.Rxe2 Nb2 15.Rde1 White returned the exchange as his position was that good and getting rid of the sole active bishop was a good idea. 15...Bxe2 16.Rxe2 and White won the game in nine more moves.

Fedoseev - Sindarov, Round 3

Position after 17.Qh6?

Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) went for a phantom attack 17.Qh6? Not having any other piece to coordinate White's attack, it only brought doom for him. 17...Bg7 18.Qh4 Rf7 19.g4 Bxe4 20.dxe4 d4 White's bishop at h1 is now a glorified pawn and he does not have any attacking chances on the kingside. Meanwhile, Black's attack on the queenside is promising and he did successfully to win in another eleven more moves.

Carlsen - Keymer: 1-0

Carlsen scored his second win of the day against Vincent Keymer (GER).

Fedoseev - Carlsen, Round 4

Position after 8.Bxb4

Carlsen blundered 8...0-0?? 9.Nb2 Qxd1+ 10.Nxd1 Rxd1+ 11.Ne1 Black did not get any compensation for the queen for the rest of the game.

Caruana - Firouzja, Round 4

Position after 18...Nxh2

Alireza Firouzja's (FRA) all-out attack 18...Nxh2 19.Rxh2 Bxh2+ 20.Kxh2 Rf3 21.Rh1 Qg4 22.Qf1 White managed to win the game eventually.

Gukesh salvaged a draw from a tough position against Javokhir Sindarov (UZB).

Carlsen - Sindarov, Round 5

Position after 21.Qd1??

21.Qd1?? was a strange retreat by White Qe4 22.c4 Qf4+ 23.Kg1 0-0-0 Black converted his positional advantage into a win in another ten moves.

Video Gallery

Interview with Fabiano Caruana | Video: ChessBase India

Interview with Javokhir Sindarov | Video: ChessBase India

Interview with Nodirbek Abdusattorov | Video: ChessBase India

Interview with Levon Aronian | Video: ChessBase India

Venue Tour | Video: ChessBase India

Replay live stream

Replay Round 1-5 live commentary by IM Sagar Shah, GM Harshit Raja and Amruta Mokal | Video: ChessBase India

Photo Gallery

Opening Press Conference with GM Sebastian Siebrecht, Tournament Director, GM Magnus Carlsen, Jan Henric Buettner and Thomas Harsch, COO of Freestyle Chess | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Our very own Cofounder and CEO, IM Sagar Shah, draws the number for a round in presence of Holly Hock, better of Jan Buettner, Freestyle Chess CEO | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Reigning World Champion - D Gukesh with his second GM Grzegorz Gajewski (POL) | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Levon Aronian, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Magnus Carlsen pondering over a position | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Replay Round 1-5 games

Total prize fund

US$ 750000 per Grand Slam

Format

Time: Rapid and Standard

• Round robin: Rapid 10 minutes for the game + 10 seconds per move

• Knockout stage - Game 1+2 = 90’+30’’ / Game 3+4 = 10’+10’’ / Game 5+6 = 5’+2’’ / Game 7 = Armageddon

Schedule

7th and 8th February: Round-Robin stage - Rapid

9th and 10th February: Quarterfinals - Classical

11th and 12th February: Semifinals and Playoffs for 5th to 8th - Classical

13th and 14th February: Finals - Classical

Round 1-5 results

Round 1 on 2025/02/07 at 13:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	1	2731	GM	Keymer, Vincent	0 - 1	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2700	10
2	2	2724	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	0 - 1	GM	Caruana, Fabiano	2803	9
3	3	2833	GM	Carlsen, Magnus	1 - 0	GM	Nakamura, Hikaru	2802	8
4	4	2766	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	½ - ½	GM	Gukesh, D	2777	7
5	5	2760	GM	Firouzja, Alireza	1 - 0	GM	Aronian, Levon	2745	6
Round 2 on 2025/02/07 at 14:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	10	2700	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	1 - 0	GM	Aronian, Levon	2745	6
2	7	2777	GM	Gukesh, D	0 - 1	GM	Firouzja, Alireza	2760	5
3	8	2802	GM	Nakamura, Hikaru	½ - ½	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	2766	4
4	9	2803	GM	Caruana, Fabiano	1 - 0	GM	Carlsen, Magnus	2833	3
5	1	2731	GM	Keymer, Vincent	1 - 0	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	2724	2
Round 3 on 2025/02/07 at 15:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	2	2724	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	0 - 1	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2700	10
2	3	2833	GM	Carlsen, Magnus	1 - 0	GM	Keymer, Vincent	2731	1
3	4	2766	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	½ - ½	GM	Caruana, Fabiano	2803	9
4	5	2760	GM	Firouzja, Alireza	½ - ½	GM	Nakamura, Hikaru	2802	8
5	6	2745	GM	Aronian, Levon	½ - ½	GM	Gukesh, D	2777	7
Round 4 on 2025/02/07 at 16:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	10	2700	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	½ - ½	GM	Gukesh, D	2777	7
2	8	2802	GM	Nakamura, Hikaru	½ - ½	GM	Aronian, Levon	2745	6
3	9	2803	GM	Caruana, Fabiano	1 - 0	GM	Firouzja, Alireza	2760	5
4	1	2731	GM	Keymer, Vincent	1 - 0	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	2766	4
5	2	2724	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	1 - 0	GM	Carlsen, Magnus	2833	3
Round 5 on 2025/02/07 at 17:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	3	2833	GM	Carlsen, Magnus	0 - 1	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2700	10
2	4	2766	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	1 - 0	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	2724	2
3	5	2760	GM	Firouzja, Alireza	1 - 0	GM	Keymer, Vincent	2731	1
4	6	2745	GM	Aronian, Levon	0 - 1	GM	Caruana, Fabiano	2803	9
5	7	2777	GM	Gukesh, D	½ - ½	GM	Nakamura, Hikaru	2802	8

Details

Standings after Round 5

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	RtgI	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	9	GM	Caruana, Fabiano	USA	2803	4,5	0	4	8,75
2	10	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	UZB	2700	4,5	0	4	7,00
3	5	GM	Firouzja, Alireza	FRA	2760	3,5	0	3	6,00
4	4	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	UZB	2766	2,5	0	1	5,25
5	3	GM	Carlsen, Magnus	NOR	2833	2	1	2	4,00
6	7	GM	Gukesh, D	IND	2777	2	2	0	5,00
7	8	GM	Nakamura, Hikaru	USA	2802	2	2	0	4,50
8	1	GM	Keymer, Vincent	GER	2731	2	4	2	3,50
9	2	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	SLO	2724	1	0	1	2,00
10	6	GM	Aronian, Levon	USA	2745	1	0	0	2,00

Details

Round 6-9 pairings

Round 6 on 2025/02/08 at 13:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	10	2700	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir		GM	Nakamura, Hikaru	2802	8
2	9	2803	GM	Caruana, Fabiano		GM	Gukesh, D	2777	7
3	1	2731	GM	Keymer, Vincent		GM	Aronian, Levon	2745	6
4	2	2724	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir		GM	Firouzja, Alireza	2760	5
5	3	2833	GM	Carlsen, Magnus		GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	2766	4
Round 7 on 2025/02/08 at 14:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	4	2766	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek		GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2700	10
2	5	2760	GM	Firouzja, Alireza		GM	Carlsen, Magnus	2833	3
3	6	2745	GM	Aronian, Levon		GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	2724	2
4	7	2777	GM	Gukesh, D		GM	Keymer, Vincent	2731	1
5	8	2802	GM	Nakamura, Hikaru		GM	Caruana, Fabiano	2803	9
Round 8 on 2025/02/08 at 15:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	10	2700	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir		GM	Caruana, Fabiano	2803	9
2	1	2731	GM	Keymer, Vincent		GM	Nakamura, Hikaru	2802	8
3	2	2724	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir		GM	Gukesh, D	2777	7
4	3	2833	GM	Carlsen, Magnus		GM	Aronian, Levon	2745	6
5	4	2766	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek		GM	Firouzja, Alireza	2760	5
Round 9 on 2025/02/08 at 16:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	5	2760	GM	Firouzja, Alireza		GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2700	10
2	6	2745	GM	Aronian, Levon		GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	2766	4
3	7	2777	GM	Gukesh, D		GM	Carlsen, Magnus	2833	3
4	8	2802	GM	Nakamura, Hikaru		GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	2724	2
5	9	2803	GM	Caruana, Fabiano		GM	Keymer, Vincent	2731	1

Details

Links

Official site

Weissenhaus

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