Javokhir Sindarov Wins Round-Robin Stage of Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Outpacing Carlsen and Caruana

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbek Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov emerged victorious in the round-robin stage of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Final, sensationally finishing ahead of Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana and earning the right to select his opponent first in the quarterfinals.

The final tournament concludes the new elite Freestyle Chess Grand Slam series, established in 2024–2025 on the initiative of Magnus Carlsen, his team, and the Freestyle Chess organizers.

The tournament is held under Chess960 rules, where starting positions are determined by a draw ten minutes before each round.

The final features top world grandmasters: Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Levon Aronian, Javokhir Sindarov, Hans Niemann, and Parham Maghsoodloo.

Hikaru Nakamura, currently third in the overall Freestyle Chess Tour standings, skipped the tournament due to family reasons. His place in the final was taken by Sindarov, ranked 11th in the Freestyle Chess Tour.

A Remarkable Day for Sindarov

The first day’s format featured a seven-round round-robin. The top three players earned the right to choose their opponents for the playoffs.

Quarterfinal, semifinal, and final matches are played with a 30+15 time control, followed, if necessary, by a 5+2 blitz series and an Armageddon game. The total prize fund is US$575,000, with US$200,000 awarded to the winner.

Sindarov, who celebrated his 20th birthday on December 8, delivered one of the most remarkable days of his career. He scored 5.5 out of 7 points, including four victories, among them a spectacular and unexpected win over former world champion Magnus Carlsen.

This marked Sindarov’s second victory against the Norwegian. Carlsen’s error left his king exposed in the center, and his attempt to correct the position forced him to sacrifice his queen.

After two sharp draws with Vincent Keymer and Arjun Erigaisi, both ending in perpetual check, Sindarov recorded three consecutive wins. He defeated Parham Maghsoodloo, then Fabiano Caruana, and Hans Niemann. His game against Caruana was particularly striking, with the opening collapsing entirely in the American’s favor.

The round-robin concluded with a draw against Levon Aronian, who finished second in the stage.

Playoffs: Choosing Opponents

After seven rounds, Sindarov led the standings outright and earned the right to select his quarterfinal opponent first. He chose Parham Maghsoodloo, who finished the round-robin with zero points.

The remaining quarterfinal pairings are as follows:

Levon Aronian — Hans Niemann

Arjun Erigaisi — Vincent Keymer

Magnus Carlsen — Fabiano Caruana

The knockout stage of the tournament continues on  9 December.