2/10/2025 – The knockout stage of the Freestyle Chess tournament in Weissenhaus began with the first classical games of the quarterfinals and the ninth-place playoff. Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Vincent Keymer took the lead in their matches, while Hikaru Nakamura and Javokhir Sindarov remain level after a draw. In the ninth-place playoff, Levon Aronian defeated Vladimir Fedoseev with white. Sunday's starting position led to dynamic struggles, with all white players opting for 1.f4. The second classical games will now determine who advances or forces tiebreaks. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
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Tactical struggles
The knockout stage of the Freestyle Chess tournament in Weissenhaus began on Sunday, with the first classical games of the quarterfinals and the ninth-place playoff taking place. Following the round-robin stage, which was won by Alireza Firouzja, the top eight players advanced to the main phase of the event, while Levon Aronian and Vladimir Fedoseev, who finished ninth and tenth, are facing each other in a separate match to determine their final standings. Like the quarterfinals, their match follows a two-game classical format, with rapid and blitz tiebreakers if necessary.
Three players took the lead in their matches, as Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana and Vincent Keymer all scored wins on the first day of the knockout. Hikaru Nakamura and Javokhir Sindarov, meanwhile, remain level after drawing their encounter. Carlsen's victory over Nodirbek Abdusattorov came in just 23 moves, with the Uzbek grandmaster making a mistake as early as move three. Caruana got the better of world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in a tense, double-edged battle, while Keymer capitalised on Firouzja's overly ambitious opening play to take the lead in their match.
Nakamura had a strong position against Sindarov but was unable to convert his advantage in an endgame with knight against bishop. However, having played with the black pieces, he will now get the opportunity to push for a win with white in the second game.
Sindarov v. Nakamura
Black has a completely winning position with his extra pawn and greatly placed knight. Nakamura was rightfully frustrated after failing to convert this into a win.
Meanwhile, in the ninth-place playoff, Aronian claimed a clear victory over Fedoseev with the white pieces, putting himself in a strong position ahead of their second encounter.
Sunday's starting position led to dynamic, tactical struggles across the board. Every player with the white pieces opted for 1.f4, immediately opening the diagonal for their dark-squared bishop to target the weak a7-square.
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This led to active play, with most games featuring direct fights for the initiative, as players sought attacking chances early on. With the first classical encounters completed, the players now turn their focus to the second games, where those trailing in their matches will need to strike back to stay in contention.
Freestyle Chess GST Weissenhaus KO 2025 09.02.2025[CC]
1.f4f52.Bxa7Bxa23.e4
3...Bxb1After playing the risky 1...f5,
instead of the more cautious 1...Nb6, Abdusattorov falters early on, perhaps
fearing that he will not be able to capture the rook later on.3...fxe4
is stronger, and e.g.4.Rxe4d55.Re1e66.g3Bf6and now7.Bxb8
In case of7.Ne3there is0-0-07...Kxb84.Kxb1fxe45.g3c66.Qxe4g67.Ne3Bb68.Bxb8Kxb89.Nb3Nc710.Qb4Bxe311.dxe3Nd512.Qa5
White's pieces, especially the queen, are much more active. Carlsen showed
his class to convert his advantage into a win.12...e513.Bf3e414.Bg2Qg715.c4Nf616.Kc2Qf717.Bf1d618.Ra1N8d719.Nd4Nc520.b4Na621.b5cxb522.Qb6Nb4+23.Kd21–0
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Both players have developed their pieces harmoniously.8...e5Caruana
goes for activity, giving up his strong light-squared bishop.8...Bc69.Qf1e510.g3Nfd511.Na58...Bf79.Qf1e510.fxe6Nxe69.Nxd5Nfxd510.g4c611.Ra1Nf412.a4a513.Nc5Nbd514.Ne4Qf815.g5
A brave choice
by Gukesh, weakening his structure.15...Bb6Not15...Qxf5due to16.Nd6+16.Bxb6Nxb617.f6Kc718.Qg1d519.fxg7Qb420.Nc5d4A mistake by
Caruana, which Gukesh fails to punish.21.Nb3White emerges with a
superior position after21.g8QRxg822.Rxe5and e.g.:Nbd523.Ne6+Nxe624.Rxe621...Re7Now the other rook would capture on g8 in case of g7-g8Q.22.Re4Nc423.Qf1Nd624.c3Qc4
Gukesh still had a better position
here, but both players were in time trouble. The world champion now gave up
his advantage by trading queens.25.Qxc425.Qxf4is the way to go, and
White is better afterexf426.Rxe7+Kd827.Re5though it is understandable
for a player to simplify the position while in time trouble.25...Nxc426.Nxd4Nd627.Rxf4exf428.Bb3Kd728...Rxg7fails to29.Ne6+29.g8QRxg830.Bxg8Re1+31.Kc2Rxa132.Bxh7Caruana has emerged from the
complications with an extra exchange and a passer on the f-file. However,
winning this position is not trivial at all while facing Gukesh and with less
than 3 minutes on the clock. White has counterplay with his connected passed
pawns on the g and h-files.Ke733.h4
This natural-looking move was the
deciding mistake.33...Rh134.Nf3Rh3Black places the rook on a great square -
to both deal with the white passers and continue to make progress.35.Ne5f336.Kd3Ke637.g6Nf538.Nf7Kf639.g7f2+40.Ke2Rf3A beautiful final
move.0–1
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