National Times Bureau, July 21, 2025: Grandmaster Levon Aronian of the United States claimed the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam title after a tense 1.5-0.5 win over compatriot Hans Moke Niemann in the finals. The American star pocketed $200,000 for his victory, capping off an intense competition that featured some of the world’s top chess players.
India’s Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa, who had both impressed in earlier rounds, finished sixth and seventh respectively. Arjun suffered a 0-2 defeat to American GM Fabiano Caruana, while Praggnanandhaa beat Wesley So 1.5-0.5 to end his campaign on a high note. Arjun earned $40,000 for his performance, while Praggnanandhaa secured $30,000.
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway bounced back from a rough opening game to defeat Hikaru Nakamura (USA) in the third-place play-off, also by a 1.5-0.5 margin.
Arjun had a strong start in the tournament, even reaching the early-stage semifinals, but couldn’t sustain momentum in the knockout rounds. Still, a top-four finish in the group stage underlines his consistency. Praggnanandhaa, meanwhile, displayed solid form, drawing as Black in his first game against Wesley So before clinching a comfortable win in the second.
The tournament coincided with a personal setback for the Praggnanandhaa family as his sister, R Vaishali, was knocked out of the FIDE Women’s World Cup in Batumi, Georgia.
The Indian prodigies now look ahead to a packed summer. Both Arjun and Praggnanandhaa will travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the upcoming E-Sports World Cup. Arjun will also feature in the Chennai Grandmasters event in early August, while Praggnanandhaa will return to the United States for consecutive Grand Chess Tour events in St. Louis.
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam: Aronian Wins Title, Arjun and Praggnanandhaa Finish Sixth and Seventh
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