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Nepo And Nakamura Test Caruana's Theories
Nodirbek Abdusattorov won a powerful attacking game. Photo: Stev Bonhage/Freestyle Chess

Nepo And Nakamura Test Caruana's Theories

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The Semifinals of the 2025 Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam got off to a quiet start, as GMs Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen drew their game, as did GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Vincent Keymer. Meanwhile, the matches to determine 5th-8th place heated up as both GMs Ian Nepomniachtchi and Nodirbek Abdusattorov won powerful attacking games.

As usual, the round began with huddles between groups of players about to have the white pieces and those about to play Black.

Everyone about to play Black wanted to know Carlsen's thoughts about the starting position. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Freestyle Chess.

Nakamura reported that Caruana had advocated for White's chances, claiming that "this Slav structure with d4 d5 c4 c6 c5 is good for White in almost every position. Before the game, myself, Ian and Fabi, I think we all thought it was very promising."

Caruana didn't manage to reach his favored structure, but both Nakamura and Nepomniachtchi reached their target position on move four and aimed to test Caruana's idea.

Knockout Standings

The Semifinals are tied heading into the final day.

Caruana ½ - ½ Carlsen

Carlsen had so many thoughts about the opening today that it was even hard for the top grandmasters in the commentary booth to keep up. 

Caruana navigated the complications and reached a safe endgame, which seemed like a draw, but where White would have some slight pressure. GM Peter Leko speculated that the game should be drawn, but that Carlsen understood that dangers lurked for Black, saying, "If he would be with the white pieces he would be very interested to continue this game."

If [Carlsen] would be with the white pieces he would be very interested to continue this game.

—Peter Leko

The world champion joined the commentary team and speculated that, "I think the question is how easy is the draw here. I'm starting to think it's not that easy." However, Carlsen not only defended, he won a pawn and pressed for a win before the players reached a draw with bare kings. 

After a short day at the office, Carlsen found time to compete in Freestyle Friday.

Nakamura ½ - ½ Keymer

Keymer ponders his position. Photo: Stev Bonhage/Freestyle Chess.

Nakamura was happy to test Caruana's theory that a space advantage in the Slav structure should favor White. However, he admitted after the game that he couldn't figure out how to prove the advantage and even said that, "At some point I kind of lost control. I just lost (my) sense of danger." Keymer had a better structure and a comfortable position in the middlegame, but didn't see a path to more and the players eventually split the point.

At some point I kind of lost control. I just lost (my) sense of danger.

—Hikaru Nakamura

Nakamura recorded his own analysis of the game.

5th-8th Place Matches

While Nakamura wasn't able to demonstrate any advantage for White in the Slav structure, Nepomniachtchi had no such difficulties against GM Arjun Erigaisi. He built a space advantage and found a powerful exchange sacrifice for a pawn, allowing him a mass of pawns on the queenside. Arjun had some chances to defend, but when he allowed the white a-pawn to advance all the way to a7 on move 28, it was only a matter of time before Nepomniachtchi won the game.

Arjun had a tough game against Nepomniachtchi. Photo: Stev Bonhage/Freestyle Chess.

The other decisive game of the day was equally brilliant. Abdusattorov nearly defeated Carlsen yesterday and wasn't going to let GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave escape the same way. 

9th Place Match

Rapport and Praggnanandhaa played a precise draw. Photo: Stev Bonhage/Freestyle Chess.

GMs Richard Rapport and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu each won their matches yesterday and are competing for ninth place in the tournament. They played one of the most precise games of the day, with both players playing carefully. Rapport eventually won a pawn in the ending, but the presence of opposite-colored bishops meant that Black was never in serious danger.

Grand Slam Tour Changes 

Tournament organizer Jan Henric Buettner announced today that the next event in the Freestyle Grand Slam, which was previously scheduled for New York City, has been moved to Las Vegas.

The freestyle tournament will follow a chess event with NBA players in July. It will be a shorter tournament, running for five days instead of eight, and feature a faster time control of 45 minutes, with a 10-second increment. That will allow for more than one game per day. The new format will allow players who are eliminated in the Round-Robin stage to still compete for third place in the tournament.

How To Watch
You can watch the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Paris on the Chess.Com or Chess24 YouTube, or Chess.com or Chess24 Twitch channels, as well as on GM Hikaru Nakamura's Kick channel. You can also check out the games on our dedicated events page. GMs Judit Polgar, Peter Leko, and Niclas Huschenbeth hosted the expert broadcast.

The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Paris is the second of five events on the multi-million dollar Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. The 12 players first play each other once in 10+10 rapid chess, with the bottom four eliminated from the fight for first and the top players choosing their opponents in the Knockout. Each knockout round consists of two-game 90+30 matches. In case of a tie, two 10+10 games are played. If still tied, two 5+2 games are played, then a single Armageddon game. All games are played in freestyle chess.  

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