D Gukesh Advances to Knockout Stage of Freestyle Grand Slam Tour Despite Final Round Loss to Carlsen
D Gukesh Advances to Knockout Stage of Freestyle Grand Slam Tour
World Champion D Gukesh has successfully advanced to the knockout stage of the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour’s inaugural event, despite a challenging final round that saw him face off against Magnus Carlsen. Gukesh concluded the qualifying phase with 3.5 points, finishing in eighth place with seven draws and two losses, but notably without a single victory.
The Freestyle Grand Slam Tour features a unique format that includes modified initial piece positions, making it one of the most competitive chess tournaments in recent history. The rapid format allows players ten minutes each, along with a ten-second increment per move, which adds an exciting dynamic to the matches.
In the final qualifying round, Gukesh played with the white pieces against Carlsen and had opportunities to secure a draw. However, his ambition to win ultimately led to his defeat. Carlsen remarked, “He (Gukesh) made seven draws. He was winning some and losing some, and it needs to be studied.”
The tournament’s standings showcased Iranian-French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja and Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov at the top, both finishing with 6.5 points. American Fabiano Caruana secured third place with 6 points, while Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura followed closely behind with 5.5 points each.
Gukesh shares seventh place with Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, both of whom qualified for the knockout stage. The tournament boasts a staggering prize pool of $750,000, which includes a lucrative $150,000 bonus for the overall winner of the Grand Slam.
Final Standings:
1-2. Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 6.5), Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 6.5)
3. Fabiano Caruana (USA, 6)
4-5. Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 5.5), Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 5.5)
6. Vincent Keymer (Ger, 4)
7-8. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 3.5), D Gukesh (Ind, 3.5)
9. Vladimir Fedoseev (Slo, 2.5)
10. Levon Aronian (USA, 1.5)
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