Arjun Erigaisi Defeats Carlsen, Enters Knockouts at Freestyle Chess Grand Slam

Arjun Erigaisi Shines at Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals With Win Over Carlsen

Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi produced one of the standout performances of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals in South Africa, defeating world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen during the round-robin stage. The victory helped him clinch third place in the standings and set up a quarterfinal clash with Germany’s rising star Vincent Keymer.

Consistent Group-Stage Performance

Erigaisi concluded the seven-round phase with 4.5 points , finishing behind leaderboard topper Javokhir Sindarov (5.5 points) and second-placed Levon Aronian (5 points) . Under tournament rules, the top three scorers earned the strategic advantage of choosing their quarterfinal opponents. Erigaisi, confident in his form, selected Keymer for his knockout pairing.

Knockout Bracket Finalised

Sindarov chose Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo, while Aronian opted to face Hans Niemann. Carlsen, outside the top three, was paired with Fabiano Caruana in one of the most anticipated quarterfinal matchups. The event marks the concluding chapter of this season’s Freestyle Chess tour, which has blended classical strategy with the creative unpredictability of shuffled-piece formats.

Carlsen Maintains Tour Lead

Despite the setback against Erigaisi, Carlsen continues to lead the overall Freestyle Chess Tour standings. A fourth-place finish in the finals would be enough for him to secure the year-end title and the USD 100,000 bonus , keeping the stakes high as the competition enters its decisive rounds.

Exam Oriented Facts

• Arjun Erigaisi defeated Magnus Carlsen in the round-robin stage.

• Final round-robin scores: Sindarov 5.5 , Aronian 5 , Erigaisi 4.5 .

• Erigaisi chose Vincent Keymer as his quarterfinal opponent.

• Carlsen needs a top-4 finish to win the 2025 Freestyle Chess Tour.