Carlsen Conquers 2025 Freestyle Chess Tour

Magnus Carlsen won the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour by securing a spot in the semi-finals at the South Africa Finals. Despite a rocky start, he defeated Fabiano Caruana. Javokhir Sindarov, Vincent Keymer, and Levon Aronian completed the semi-final lineup. The final winner will receive $200,000.

Magnus Carlsen has been crowned the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour champion after advancing to the semi-finals of the South Africa Finals on Tuesday. His achievement brings him a season championship and a $100,000 bonus prize, reinforcing his status as the world's top-ranked player.

Carlsen's journey wasn't without challenges. In the quarter-finals against American Fabiano Caruana, Carlsen faced early setbacks, losing the opening game due to a blunder. However, the Norwegian grandmaster bounced back, forcing a tiebreaker and ultimately winning the match with two consecutive victories.

Joining Carlsen in the semi-finals are Javokhir Sindarov, who impressed with a 2-0 victory over Parham Maghsoodloo, and German Vincent Keymer, who advanced by overcoming India's Arjun Erigaisi. The lineup was completed by Levon Aronian, who triumphed over Hans Niemann. The eventual tournament winner will take home a $200,000 prize.

(With inputs from agencies.)