Latest news with #FreestyleChessGrandSlam
Indian Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Is chess ready for vocal audiences during tournaments who have access to the eval bar?
A loud gasp reverberated around the playing hall which was created in Las Vegas' Wynn as the game between Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So entered the end game and the world no 1 made a blunder with his rook that allowed him to be checkmated in a few moves. The gasp from the fans was so loud that it was even audible on the live broadcast. Carlsen at that stage was wearing noise cancellation headphones. So wasn't Wesley. These were unique quirks of the recently-concluded Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour: live audiences in the arena who had access both to live commentary and to the eval bar and players wearing noise cancellation headphones. Thanks to the first quirk, some nuances of games — like the fact that checkmate was inevitable in a few moves — that probably would have been lost on the chess-following folks was now apparent. That access to information for fans led to plenty of criticism of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam event by players like Fabiano Caruana, who unlike players like Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura are much more measured in their opinions. But so incensed was Caruana by the fact that fans were allowed to hear commentary and see the eval bar in real-time and were reacting loudly like at any other sports event, that he criticised the organisers in an interview to their own social media handle after the event was over. Caruana complained that in his own critical game with Nakamura later on in the tournament — by which time organisers had made the wearing of noise-cancelling headphones mandatory for the players — he could hear the audience's reactions despite wearing the headphones. 'In the match (against Nakamura which he lost), I started to get very annoyed at the whole tournament. I don't think it should come down to outside interference. Not to make excuses, but I mean, the spectators are basically just yelling when we have five seconds each. Hikaru was crushing me and then, he probably had some mating chances, but it wasn't easy. He had 5 seconds. He went back with the queen. I was back in the game. And around this moment there was just yelling (from the fans). I mean like very (loud yelling). I'm not exaggerating at all. It was just screaming in the audience and you can't play (like that) with five seconds. So we both blundered. I could basically have mated him and also won his queen on two different occasions. It just leaves a bad taste,' Caruana had told the media team of Freestyle Chess after the tournament ended. This issue was such a sticking point that it was debated extensively for during the players' meeting before the Las Vegas tournament started, where multiple players raised the issue. Allowing in-arena fans this crucial piece of insight during a game is a debate that is likely to rage louder in the coming days, especially with chess also embracing itself as an esport: the world's top players are currently in Riyadh playing at the Esports World Cup, where the noise cancelling headphones are back as players play in front of a much bigger arena filled with fans. Allowing access for fans to commentary and the eval bar in the playing hall was an attempt from Freestyle Chess to make the game much more accessible. And interesting. To make a spectator sport out of chess. Because that opens the doors to invite a wider cross-section of fans into the arena and make them understand the drama that's happening on the chess board. After all, that's eventually how you can raise some money from ticket sales as well. But the ploy seems to have backfired. Walk into a playing hall during games of a chess tournament — almost every chess tournament from Norway Chess to the Tata Steel Rapid and Blitz event in Kolkata — and you will be greeted with pin-drop silence. Try as much as whispering something into the ear of the person sitting next to you, and you will have stern librarian looks thrown at you. Try and peek at your mobile phone during a game, and chances are you will be politely asked to leave. There is a reason why chess tournaments have not tried to make it a spectator sport and why they have people assigned to remind fans walking into the playing hall that they need to keep their phones tucked away into their pockets at all times. As Caruana pointed out on his own podcast later, unlike a tennis tournament — where chair umpires also frown upon fans shouting in the middle of points — a shout or a loud gasp at a chess tournament can hand a player a key piece of information that could be the difference between winning and losing. A gasp from the audience could alert a player that their opponent had blundered. 'They didn't take the security as seriously as it should have been,' Caruana added. If this seems like regular chess grandmaster paranoia, it might be crucial to remember that at a previous Chess Olympiad, one player had cheated just by having their team captain standing at a different spot to view the game which would send a signal to the man on the board that he had to move a particular piece on the next move. It's absurd to have players be put through stringent fairplay safety checks before the games start only to have neutral fans hooting and gasping during games, which is almost like allowing the players to get a peek at the eval bar themselves. This is why at the World Championship events — the most prestigious tournament in chess with millions of dollars at stake — the players are behind sound-proof and one-way glass rooms. Caruana said that while he was all for chess tournaments trying to monetise viewing experiences, this was not the way to do it. 'Let's say you want to make chess a business, I'm not an expert, but I can't imagine that the way towards that is live ticket sales. I just don't see it. I think if you want to make chess a business, you have to sell it to Amazon Prime or Netflix,' Caruana said. The noise from the chesshall is clear: stay quiet or go home. Amit Kamath is Assistant Editor at The Indian Express and is based in Mumbai. ... Read More
Spectator
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
No. 860
Black to play. So-Keymer, Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Las Vegas 2025. Keymer's next move forced So to resign. What did he play? Email answers to chess@ by Monday 28 July. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week's solution 1 Bf1! trapped the queen. Firouzja tried 1…Rb5 but 2 Qxb5 Qxe3+ 3 Rxe3 axb5 4 Bxb5 was easily winning for Gukesh. Last week's winner Ray Fisher, Shepley, W. Yorks
Spectator
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Spectator
Freestyle Grand Slam
Levon Aronian took the $200,000 first prize at the latest leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, held in Las Vegas earlier this month. The fifth event of the tour's debut year, scheduled for Delhi in September, has been cancelled due to a lack of sponsors, but Carlsen tops the leaderboard ahead of the final, which remains scheduled for December in Cape Town. The game below was played in the semi-final, and had as a start position: Ra1, Nb1, Kc1, Nd1, Be1, Qf1, Rg1, Bh1. Black's setup mirrors that: Ra8, Nb8, etc. Arjun Erigaisi-Levon Aronian Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Las Vegas, July 2025 1 a4 d5 2 g4 c6 3 f4 g6 4 e4 dxe4 5 Bxe4 Bd7 6 Ne3 Ne6 7 c3 Na6 8 f5 gxf5 9 gxf5 Rxg1 10 Qxg1 Nec7 11 Bg3 Ne8 12 d4 Nf6 13 Nd2 O-O-O 14 Bd3 Nc7 15 a5 Qh6 16 Bxc7 Kxc7 17 Qg3+ Kc8 18 Ndc4 Erigaisi has handled the opening strongly, and now 18…Rg8 is refuted by 19 Nb6+ axb6 20 axb6, with dual threats of Ra8# and Qc7#. Aronian finds the only defence. Nd5 19 Kb1 Qg7 Another timely defensive measure. This time the tactical idea 20 Nxd5 cxd5 21 Nb6+ fails in view of axb6 22 axb6 Qxg3 23 Ra8+ Qb8. 20 Qf3 Qg1+ 21 Ka2 Qxh2 22 Nxd5 cxd5 23 Qxd5 Qc7 24 Qxf7 Bc6 Suddenly Bc6-d5 is a counter-threat. Now 25 Qe6+ Kb8 26 Qe2 maintains an edge, but Erigaisi errs. 25 Ne3 Bxd4 Sharply played. 26 cxd4 Qxa5+ 27 Kb1 Qe1+ picks up the knight. 26 Qe6+ Bd7 27 Qe4 Bc6 28 Qe6+ Bd7 29 Qe4 Bf6 Sensing the game's momentum in his favour, Aronian declines the repetition. 30 Nd5 Qxa5+ 31 Kb1 Qc5 32 b4 Qf2 33 Ra2 Qg1+ 34 Kc2 Bc6 35 Qe6+ 35 Nxe7+ Bxe7 36 Qxe7 was still good enough for a draw, as 36…Qg2+ 37 Kb1 Qh1+ 38 Kc2 Qd5 (as in the game) is met by 39 Qe6+. This doesn't work in the game because Aronian's king is already on b8. Kb8 36 Nxf6 exf6 37 Qxf6 Qg2+ 38 Kb1 38 Kb3 Qd5+ 39 Bc4 Qd1+ 40 Ka3 Qa4+ 41 Kb2 Rd2+ and mate next move. Qh1+ 39 Kc2 Qd5 White resigns Aronian had a narrow escape in the first game of the final against Hans Niemann (see below). He decided the match and the tournament with a win in the return game. Hans Niemann-Levon Aronian Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Las Vegas 56 Be5 Losing a crucial tempo. Instead, 56 Kb5! wins, with the subtle idea 56…e3 57 Bf4! (preparing Bf4-d2 if the e-pawn advances). Then 57…Kf5 58 a6 Bxa6+ 59 Kxa6 Kxf4 60 b7 e2 61 b8=Q+ (crucially, this is check) and with a bit of precision the queen will win against the pawns. d3 57 Bf4 Ba6 58 Kc5 Kf5 59 Bh6 Kg4 60 Kc6 Kf3 61 b7 Bxb7+ 62 Kxb7 e3 63 Bxe3 Draw agreed
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First Post
23-07-2025
- Sport
- First Post
‘Not going to win every tournament but...': Magnus Carlsen on third-place finish at Las Vegas Freestyle event
Magnus Carlsen fought back from a poor start to finish third at the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, beating Hikaru Nakamura in the $100,000 playoff. Levon Aronian won the title against Hans Niemann, with Carlsen praising his resilience. read more World No.1 Magnus Carlsen made a strong comeback to finish third at the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam on Monday. The five-time World Champion had a slow start to the tournament and suffered some early setbacks before making a comeback. Carlsen lost crucial games to Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa and American-Armenian Grandmaster Levon Aronian in the classification round, which meant he missed out on the quarterfinals and could no longer fight for the title. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, the Norwegian superstar didn't give up and dominated the lower bracket, winning five matches in a row before defeating American GM Hikaru Nakamura in the third-place playoff match to win $100,000 prize (over Rs 86 lakh) and finish on the podium. 'I had one really bad day, and that cost me in the end. But winning five matches in a row, even if the stakes aren't that high, feels really good,' Carlsen said about his performance at the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam. 'It was a bit up and down but overall I'm fairly happy with my level in those few games. I felt like I finished off with a really nice win as Black. It builds confidence for my next event. Things obviously weren't looking that rosy on Wednesday, and I was pretty hard on myself then as well. But now winning the last few matches is always nice. I'm not going to win every tournament but I'm very happy with the way I fought back. So, I will definitely take some positives from this tournament,' he added. Aronian wins the title Meanwhile, Levon Aronian went on to win the event, beating American GM Hans Niemann 1.5-0.5 in the final to claim the $200,000 prize (Rs 1.7 crore). Aronian held firm in a tough first game before putting on a brilliant performance in the second to seal the victory. Carlsen praised Aronian for his resilience and said he was the 'deserved winner.' It is also important to note that Carlsen and Niemann have a tense history. Their relationship soured after Carlsen accused Niemann of cheating back in 2022, which created a huge controversy in the chess world. Niemann later filed a lawsuit against Carlsen, seeking damages for defamation. Although the legal dispute was eventually settled, the rivalry between the two has remained tense. 'It was incredibly impressive, very well deserved as well. He faced a lot of adversity for sure, especially the second game against Hikaru, it took a lot of mental resilience to be able to continue to press after he had several little chances to win, but he didn't take them. The way he fought in difficult positions against Arjun as well. Like, he was completely busted but came back,' Carlsen said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I'm very, very happy for Levon. Um, he is… I think he has probably been the biggest fan of freestyle among the top players for many years. There is always some consolation in having lost to the tournament winner. And clearly, you know, the deserved one,' he added.
News18
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Magnus Carlsen Shares Awkward Encounter With Hans Niemann At Freestyle Chess: WATCH
Last Updated: At the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Niemann's tense moment with Carlsen went viral. Their past cheating controversy led to a $100M lawsuit, which was settled. During the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, a particularly awkward moment unfolded at the award ceremony when Hans Niemann stepped onto the stage. Magnus Carlsen was visibly uncomfortable and his reaction, captured on video, quickly went viral, highlighting the unresolved tension between the two players. Carlsen's Early Exit and Niemann's Reaction In the tournament itself, Carlsen was shockingly eliminated in the group stage after losses to R Praggnanandhaa, Wesley So, and Levon Aronian. Niemann, serving as a commentator, was on camera reacting exuberantly to Carlsen's tie-break loss against Aronian. His animated response, including cheering and shouting encouragement, underlined the continued psychological drama. Carlsen and Niemann's Cheating Controversy A major controversy rocked the chess world in September 2022 during the Sinquefield Cup, when reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen unexpectedly withdrew after losing to 19-year-old grandmaster Hans Niemann in the third round. Carlsen's abrupt exit sparked widespread speculation that he was accusing Niemann of cheating—though he never stated this directly. The situation escalated when, in a subsequent online tournament, Carlsen resigned after just one move against Niemann, further fueling suspicions and media frenzy. In October 2022, Niemann filed a $100 million lawsuit against Carlsen, his company Play Magnus Group, the site's Chief Chess Officer Daniel Rensch, and grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. Niemann claimed defamation and unlawful collusion, arguing that internal report exaggerated his history of cheating and was part of a broader conspiracy to damage his reputation. However, the lawsuit was dismissed in June 2023 by a U.S. district court. By August 2023, all parties reached a settlement. reinstated Niemann on its platform, and Carlsen agreed to play him in future events if paired. The resolution effectively closed the legal chapter of the dispute. view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 17:39 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
