Freestyle Chess Grand Slam: Three dates confirmed

by Press release
10/2/2024 – Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH announced three dates for the upcoming Freestyle Chess Grand Slam. The first tournament will start in February 2025 in Weissenhaus. This will be followed by the second tournament in New York in July and the final tournament in South Africa in December 2025. Magnus Carlsen will play in all three tournaments.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

Press Release

Freestyle Chess Grand Slam with Magnus Carlsen: dates announced for Germany, USA and South Africa

Thomas Harsch appointed as
Managing Director

Hamburg, October 1, 2024 – The first dates for the new Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025 with Magnus Carlsen have been set: The elite of chess will initially meet from 7 to 14 February
in Weissenhaus in northern Germany. The second event is planned for 17 to 24 July in the
USA. In December 2025, the event will then move to South Africa, where it will be played from 1 to 8 December. The specific venues will be announced later.

"We are very pleased about these concrete steps towards the globalization of Freestyle Chess
and are convinced that the Grand Slam will take chess as a spectator event into a new
dimension," said entrepreneur and investor Jan Henric Buettner, who launched the new series
together with the world’s best chess player Magnus Carlsen.

Thomas Harsch, who was appointed Managing Director of Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH
on 1 September, added: "The opening tournament this February in Weissenhaus, Germany,
has already received an overwhelmingly positive response from players, fans and the media
around the world. Chess interest in the USA is traditionally very good, and in Africa, there is
huge untapped potential that we now want to realize."

The newly founded Hamburg-based company Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH will
organize six to eight Grand Slam tournaments a year on all continents. Magnus Carlsen, the
greatest chess player of his era and co-founder of the new tour, will take part in all
tournaments. The prize money to be shared between the players is 750,000 US dollars for
each of the first three tournaments and 1 million US dollars for the subsequent tournaments.
Freestyle Chess retains the core elements of traditional chess but offers a new twist: the
pieces on the baseline are placed randomly. Also known as Fischer Random, this innovative
setup brings new strategic options and greater unpredictability to the game, promoting a fresh, new way of competing.

Official page...

<< Grivas on the Chess Olympiad 2024 (2)
Topics: Freestyle Chess, Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025, Jan Henric Buettner, Magnus Carlsen
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors

See also

Jan Buettner on Freestyle Chess seeing a historic shift with US $12 Million Funding

8/15/2024 – The chess world is set to witness a historic shift after the announcement on Thursday, 25th July: ‘Magnus Carlsen raises $12 Million for Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.’ This project promises to bring high-level, exclusive chess tournaments to the global stage. While the format was initially introduced in February 2024, certain developments will make it exciting for players, fans, media, organizers, sponsors, and everyone involved. Jan Buettner is the co-founder of this project along with Magnus and in a candid interview with ChessBase India, he shares his journey of starting Freestyle Chess to raising US$12 million!
More...
 2

See also

Magnus Carlsen raises $12 million for Freestyle Chess Grand Slam

7/25/2024 – Magnus Carlsen, investor Jan Henric Buettner and VC Left Lane Capital launched a new company to establish a tournament series that aims to revolutionise the world of chess. The event series will showcase the world's best chess players in a new format which aims to be attractive for media, spectators and consumers. The participants will be nine super GMs hand-picked by Magnus Carlsen, who has committed himself to playing Freestyle Chess exclusively at the Grand Slam series.
More...
 8

Video

60m English The Austrian Attack

What to do against the Pirc? Many players find it difficult to play against Black’s set-up. Try the Austrian Attack! It is a solid but dangerous weapon and guarantees White an effective attack from the very start! Learn the key tricks of this deadly line and crush the Pirc with ease!