Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 Moves to Paris
Paris, March 2025 – The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 is set to continue its exciting journey, making its next stop in Paris from April 7 to 14. This prestigious tournament will bring together twelve of the world’s top chess grandmasters as they compete for the second Grand Slam title of the year. Following a thrilling debut event in Weissenhaus, where Germany’s Vincent Keymer triumphed on home soil, the competition now shifts to France, offering another high-stakes battle for a share of the $750,000 prize pool, including $200,000 for the champion.
.webp "Magnus Carlsen and D Gukesh (Lennart OotesFreestyle Chess)")
A Prestigious Venue and Innovative Format
The tournament will take place at the Pavillon Chesnaie du Roy, a stunning venue set within the historic Bois de Vincennes in Paris. For the first time, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam will feature 12 participants, beginning with a two-day round-robin phase. The top eight players from this phase will then progress to a knockout stage, with classical time controls determining the ultimate victor over the following six days.
With 11 of 12 spots already confirmed, the event will showcase some of the biggest names in chess, including Magnus Carlsen, reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa R., Hans Niemann, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Alireza Firouzja, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. The final participant will be determined through an open online qualification event, offering aspiring players a chance to compete at the highest level.
Freestyle Chess: A New Era Begins
Launched in 2025 by Hamburg-based Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour spans six tournaments across multiple continents. Co-founded by Magnus Carlsen, this groundbreaking series revolutionizes classical chess by randomizing back-rank starting positions, eliminating the reliance on memorized openings and encouraging strategic creativity and dynamic play. With its fresh and unpredictable format, Freestyle Chess is captivating players and audiences worldwide.
The inaugural event in Weissenhaus exceeded expectations, highlighting the immense potential of this new chess format. Freestyle COO Thomas Harsch reflected on its success:
“The reach of this event has been incredible—almost three times as much as last year! On top of that, the Community Stream was a tremendous success, demonstrating how powerful this format can be in making chess more accessible. It’s amazing to see the growing passion for Freestyle Chess and the energy of the community behind it.”
Now, as the competition moves to Paris, anticipation continues to build. Five players will be making their Freestyle Chess debut, and French stars Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave will enjoy strong home support, much like Keymer did in Weissenhaus. The final participant will be determined through an online qualification event—one of the highest-paying online chess competitions, boasting a record $50,000 prize pool.
Online Qualification Schedule:
March 8-9: Open rounds on Chess.com
March 12: Swiss-system tournament for all titled players
March 15: Knockout Stage – Top four from the Swiss tournament will join 12 invited members of the Freestyle Chess Players Club to compete for the final Paris spot
Beyond Paris: The Action Continues
Following the Paris leg, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour will head to Karlsruhe, Germany, for the Grenke Freestyle Chess Open (April 17-21). Expected to break participation records, this event will feature many of the Paris competitors, including Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer, battling for a $225,000 prize pool. The tournament winner will secure a place in the next Grand Slam event, set to take place in the United States from July 17-24, further intensifying the excitement of the tour.
Freestyle Chess Chief Chess Officer Sebastian Siebrecht shared his enthusiasm:
“The Grenke Freestyle Chess Open is bringing together amateur and elite players in an unprecedented way. I’m thrilled that most members of the Freestyle Chess Players Club have accepted our invitation, making Karlsruhe the strongest tournament ever held on German soil. This event, embedded in a festival with thousands of participants, will be a landmark moment for Freestyle Chess.”
With its groundbreaking format, top-tier competition, and global appeal, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 is reshaping the landscape of chess. As the excitement builds for the Paris event and beyond, fans and players alike can look forward to an electrifying year of chess innovation and high-level competition.