Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen reacts ahead of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Paris, France, April 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
PARIS (Reuters) -World number one Magnus Carlsen underlined his status as one of chess' most versatile and dominant figures, clinching victory at the inaugural Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.
The Norwegian Grandmaster once again demonstrated his adaptability by mastering yet another format in the evolving landscape of the game.
The Freestyle Grand Slam format, which blends elements of classical, rapid, and Chess960 into a single tournament, has quickly gained traction among top players and fans for its unpredictability and creative demands.
Carlsen, 34, embraced the challenge with characteristic confidence, finishing ahead of a world-class field that included Hikaru Nakamura, whom he beat 1.5-0.5 in Monday's final, as well as world champion Gukesh Dommaraju.
Carlsen cashed in a $200,000 prize and moved top of the Grand Slam standings.
"There's more of a childish joy of just playing chess rather than being worried about openings, rating points, and all of those things that are important but don't necessarily equate joy," Carlsen said.
"You want to win as well, but you want to be reminded about why you started playing chess early on, and I am reminded of that when I sit down for a Freestyle Chess game."
With his triumph in Paris, Carlsen continues to expand his dominance beyond traditional formats, reinforcing his legacy as one of the greatest and most complete players in chess history.
The Freestyle Grand Slam circuit now moves to Las Vegas in July, where Carlsen is expected to compete again.
Carlsen has ruled out returning to the standard chess world championshipcycle.
(Reporting by Julien PretotEditing by Christian Radnedge)
