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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Leonard Barden

Chess: Magnus Carlsen wins Freestyle Tour title despite defeat in final event

Magnus Carlsen Levon Aronian United States Alireza Firouzja Tour Nodirbek Abdusattorov Cape Town Fabiano Caruana Hans Niemann Javokhir Sindarov
Magnus Carlsen (right) takes on Levon Aronian in the final of the Freestyle Tour event in Cape Town.
Magnus Carlsen (right) needed to finish only fourth in Cape Town to win the Freestyle Tour but he was able to reach the final where he lost to Levon Aronian. Photograph: Stev Bonhage/Fide

Norway’s world No 1, Magnus Carlsen, was shocked by a 0.5-1.5 loss to the US veteran Levon Aronian in Thursday’s final of the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour in Cape Town, but still finished the overall winner of the five-event Tour.

Freestyle chess is also known as Fischer Random and Chess 960. Pieces start randomly placed on the two back rows, thus drastically limiting opening preparation. Its 2025 season, with a Tour financed mainly by a $12m investment from the venture firm Left Lane Capital, has featured tournaments in Weissenhaus, Karlsruhe, Paris and Las Vegas before the final in South Africa.

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