Levon Aronian Wins Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025 in Las Vegas; India’s Arjun and Praggnanandhaa Finish 6th and 7th Respectively.
Awards
In July 2025, Grandmaster (GM) Levon Aronian of the United States of America (USA) clinched the title at the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025, organized by World Chess Events Limited at the Wynn Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament featured top global players and saw significant participation from Indian GMs.
- Levon Aronian secured the championship title by defeating American Grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann in the final with a scoreline of 1.5–0.5. With this victory, Aronian claimed a prize of USD 200,000 (approximately ₹1.7 crore), while Niemann, finishing second, earned USD 140,000 (about ₹1.2 crore).
- GM Magnus Carlsen of Norway, currently ranked World No.1, secured third place in the event by defeating Hikaru Nakamura. Carlsen received a prize of USD 100,000 (approximately ₹86 lakh), further strengthening his status as one of the strongest active players in the freestyle chess format.
- Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi delivered a commendable performance by reaching the final eight before being defeated by GM Fabiano Caruana of the USA. Arjun finished in 6th position overall and earned a prize of USD 40,000 (approximately ₹34 lakh).
Main Point :- (i) R. Praggnanandhaa, another rising Indian chess star, defeated Wesley So of the USA in the placement round. He won both the first game and the classification match to finish in 7th position, receiving a prize of USD 30,000 (roughly ₹25 lakh). Notably, Praggnanandhaa also defeated Magnus Carlsen twice during the tournament—once in a group stage and again in a classification game.
(ii) Vidit Gujrathi also represented India at the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025. He concluded his campaign in joint 13th place along with four other players and was awarded a participation prize of USD 7,500 (around ₹6.4 lakh).
(iii) The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025 is known for its dynamic time controls and unorthodox starting positions, attracting top global talent. India’s performance was particularly encouraging, with three Indian Grandmasters—Arjun, Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit—showcasing competitive gameplay against the world’s elite.
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