Carlsen wins round-robin stage
The opening day of the Freestyle Chess World Championship in Weissenhaus concluded with the completion of a seven-round rapid round-robin, which determined the four players advancing to the semifinals. Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, Fabiano Caruana and Nodirbek Abdusattorov secured the spots in the semis and remain in contention for the 2026 title.
Carlsen finished clear first with 4½ points from 7 games. Keymer, Caruana and Abdusattorov each scored 4 points. Hans Niemann ended on 3½, while Arjun Erigaisi and Javokhir Sindarov scored 3 points apiece. Levon Aronian finished eighth on 2 points. The final round was decisive in settling qualification, with several players still able to reach the top four.
In almost every chess game there comes a moment when you just can’t go on without tactics. You must strike to not giving away the advantage you have worked for the whole game.
In almost every chess game there comes a moment when you just can’t go on without tactics. You must strike, because nothing is more annoying than missing a winning combination in the decisive situation, and thus giving away the advantage you have worked for the whole game. So it is vital to train tactics properly - and Master Class Tactics offers you the perfect tool for this! On this Fritztrainer, IM Oliver Reeh has compiled his favourites from the CBM column “Tune your Tactics” issues 219 to 227.
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As winner of the round-robin, Carlsen obtained the right to choose his semifinal opponent and selected Abdusattorov. The second semifinal will see Keymer face Caruana in a four-game match. The remaining four players will contest placement matches for fifth to eighth place.
Carlsen's performance on Friday featured fluctuating moments. In the opening round, he faced Niemann and reached a clearly superior middlegame position, but time pressure led to inaccuracies and the game ended in a draw despite remaining practical chances. Later in the day, he capitalised on tactical resources and small inaccuracies by his opponents to collect crucial points.
After four rounds, Carlsen was tied for first place with Caruana, and was set to face him with the white pieces. The reigning rapid and blitz world champion scored a crucial victory. In the middlegame, the Norwegian got a dominating position, but Caruana fought back resourcefully, only to lose the thread in the endgame - with both players running out of time.
With 4 points after 5 rounds, Carlsen's qualification prospects were strong, though not yet mathematically assured. In the penultimate round, he faced Erigaisi produced with black. The Indian star produced a precise opening sequence to quickly obtain a winning position. This result created the theoretical possibility that Carlsen could be drawn into a tie for first place in the final standings of the round-robin.
This video course features the ins-and-outs of the possible setups Black can choose. You’ll learn the key concepts and strategies needed to add this fantastic opening to your repertoire. An easy-to-learn and yet venomous weapon.In the final round, however, Carlsen achieved a favourable position against Abdusattorov and steered the game towards a draw, which guaranteed both qualification and sole first place.
Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes
Meanwhile, Keymer recovered from a first-round loss to Erigaisi with a sequence of victories, including wins over Aronian, Niemann and Caruana. Entering the last round level with Carlsen on points, he had good chances of finishing first, but a defeat to Sindarov in an endgame left him half a point behind the leader.
Caruana began strongly, defeating Abdusattorov and Niemann, but consecutive losses to Carlsen and Keymer placed him in a position where he required a final-round win to secure advancement. He achieved that objective with an all-important victory over Erigaisi.
Abdusattorov, who recently won the Tata Steel Masters, qualified after responding to earlier defeats - against Caruana and Niemann - with victories over Sindarov and Aronian. His victory over Sindarov featured a good-looking attack on the white king.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes
The Alapin Variation (1.e4 c5 2.c3) offers a simple yet highly effective solution to all major Sicilian lines, by sidestepping them with 2.c3.
Facing the Sicilian doesn’t have to be complicated. The Alapin Variation (1.e4 c5 2.c3) offers a simple yet highly effective solution to all major Sicilian lines, by sidestepping them with 2.c3. Whether your opponent plays the Najdorf, Taimanov, or Dragon, the Alapin lets you take control of the game as early as move two.
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Two of the semifinalists during the press conference - Vincent Keymer and Magnus Carlsen | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes
Niemann and Erigaisi both had opportunities to force at least a playoff for fourth place, but were unable to convert their final-round chances. Niemann drew with Aronian and earlier missed a winning continuation against Sindarov in the penultimate round. Aronian, winner of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals in South Africa, concluded the round-robin with four losses and 2 points.
The championship now moves to the knockout phase. The semifinals will be played on Saturday, with the final scheduled for Sunday, when the 2026 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Champion will be decided.
Final standings
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