Keymer and Caruana Reach Freestyle Chess Final

Vincent Keymer, a 20-year-old German grandmaster, defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen in the semi-finals of the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 to secure a place in the final against Fabiano Caruana. Keymer's victory over Carlsen, marked by a win in the first game and a draw in the second, was celebrated as a major personal achievement for the young player, who was part of D Gukesh’s coaching team during his world championship win in 2024. Caruana secured his final spot after a challenging playoff against Javokhir Sindarov. The tournament saw other notable matches, including Hikaru Nakamura's victory over World Champion Gukesh in a playoff. The competition has been intense, with dramatic matches and unexpected upsets, highlighting the evolving landscape of freestyle chess.