D Gukesh’s Journey at the German Freestyle Chess Grand Slam
NEW DELHI: World champion D Gukesh finished in eighth position at the German leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam after a tough match against Iranian-French grandmaster Alireza Firouzja. The tournament, held at Weissenhaus resort, proved to be challenging for Gukesh, who ended his campaign without securing a single win.
After staging a remarkable comeback to draw the first game against Firouzja, expectations were high for Gukesh to capitalize on his white-piece advantage in the second game. However, he struggled to find his rhythm, succumbing in just 30 moves, sealing his eighth-place finish.
Key Outcomes of the Tournament
Despite a winless campaign, Gukesh walked away with $20,000 for his eighth-place finish. Tournament champion Vincent Keymer emerged victorious, defeating Fabiano Caruana in the final and taking home a staggering $200,000. Caruana, the runner-up, received $140,000, while world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen secured third place with a prize of $100,000.
Other notable players included Javokhir Sindarov, who finished fourth and earned $60,000, and Hikaru Nakamura, who placed fifth with a prize of $50,000. Sixth-placed Nodirbek Abdusattorov pocketed $40,000. Levon Aronian and Vladimir Fedoseev rounded out the rankings, finishing ninth and tenth, respectively.
The Future of Freestyle Chess
Despite FIDE’s reluctance towards Chess 960, also known as Fischer Random Chess or Freestyle Chess, the format is gaining traction and seems poised to remain a part of the professional chess circuit. As the game evolves, players like Gukesh will continue to adapt and face new challenges.
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