Second day of action in Karslruhe

By Conrad Schormann / Freestyle Chess GmbH

Last year's festival set a record with around 3,000 players; this year, the number has grown again, pushing the halls in Karlsruhe to the limits of their capacity. More than 3,500 players are part of the grenke Chess Festival, spread across several events. Around 280 of them sit down in the Freestyle Open A, the section that carries the strongest field and the clearest sporting stakes. After three rounds, 19 players have started with 3/3.

Among them are Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann, both present at the top of the table and both part of a narrative that extends beyond the board. A Netflix documentary revisiting their rivalry is set for release within days, with parts of it filmed in Karlsruhe in 2025, placing additional attention on their performances at the same venue.

Master Class Vol.8 - Magnus Carlsen 2nd Edition

Let our authors show you how Carlsen tailored his openings to be able to outplay his opponents strategically in the middlegame or to obtain an enduring advantage into the endgame.

After his 9/9 run last year, one question in Karlsruhe is whether Magnus Carlsen can keep winning. He already had to work hard in round one, where Narmin Khalafova resisted for a long time before losing. In round three, Maxime Lagarde again drew him into a difficult game, holding deep into the middlegame before losing control. The result was another win for the world number one, but not a clean one. Elsewhere, England's number one Nikita Vitiugov lost after a tactical mistake, walking into a knight fork against FM Sreyas Payyappat, one of several early upsets.

Magnus Carlsen defeated 2019 French chess champion Maxime Lagarde in round three | Photo: Jeroen van den Belt / ChessBase

In round 3, Georg Meier forced Germany's number one Vincent Keymer into a long and complex battle. Keymer obtained a strong position out of the opening and appeared to be on track for a controlled win. Meier then generated counterplay, gaining the initiative thanks to a queen-bishop battery aiming at Keymer's open king. The position shifted several times. Both players missed winning chances. In the end, the game was decided by a late mistake, with Meier walking into a forced mate.

Keymer's presence at the top of the standings carries its own context. Karlsruhe has been a milestone in his career before. In 2018, he won the Grenke Chess Open with a 2800 performance at the age of 13 and drew attention beyond Germany for the first time. With that result, he qualified for the Grenke Chess Classic 2019, his first elite tournament. This week, he returns to Karlsruhe as a world-class player, no longer a newcomer, but part of the group expected to contend.

Keymer's first-round game added a local dimension. He faced Sonja Maria Bluhm in an all-German pairing. The two know each other from the national youth squad, but their careers have developed in different directions. Vincent Keymer is now a full-time professional at the highest level, while Bluhm studied law and is active as a streamer and podcast host.

On the board, one of Keymer's moves drew a comparison from commentator Peter Leko, who described it as "Karpov-style". The reference points to Anatoly Karpov's famous bishop move 24.Ba7 against Wolfgang Unzicker at the Nice Olympiad in 1974, a quiet positional move that secures control over the open a-file. Keymer's 20.Ba7 against Bluhm served the same purpose.

Play it like Karpov: 20.Ba7! – Blocking the a-file in order to conquer it

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Vincent Keymer defeated German-born Uruguayan representative Georg Meier in round three | Photo: Jeroen van den Belt / ChessBase

Two other names at the top of the standings underline a different aspect of the tournament. Meruert Kamalidenova and Harika Dronavalli are both on 3/3 and part of the leading group. Kamalidenova, an international master, is one of the unexpected players at that level of the standings. Dronavalli represents the opposite profile, an established grandmaster with years of experience in top-level competition.

Their presence at the top reflects a broader trend in the field. A total of 27 women are taking part in the Freestyle Open A, drawn in part by the three qualification places for the FIDE Women's Freestyle Chess World Championship 2027. Kamalidenova and Dronavalli are currently leading that race.

For the first time in Karlsruhe, world championship qualification spots are at stake. The winner of the Freestyle Open A qualifies directly (if not yet qualified) for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2027. After three rounds, there is no indication yet of who will claim it.

The leading group is large, and even the favourites have had to work hard for their points. For Magnus Carlsen, the path to another perfect run remains long, with many fights still ahead. However, round four will narrow the leading group. On the top board, Carlsen meets Amin Tabatabaei (who just won the Reykjavik Open with 8/9), while Vincent Keymer faces former rapid chess world champion Volodar Murzin.

The top boards on the main stage | Photo: Jeroen van den Belt / ChessBase

The Keymer Variation - 1.Nf3 d5 2.e3

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.

"Normal chess" is also being played in Karlsruhe - after three rounds, 46 players have a perfect score in the A-Open (in a 998-player field!) | Photo: Jeroen van den Belt / ChessBase

Standings after round 3 - Freestyle Chess

...283 players

All available games - Freestyle Chess

Standings after round 3 - Classical Chess

...998 players

All available games - Classical Chess

Links

• Official website
• grenke Chess YouTube channel
• Full pairings and standings on Chess-Results: Freestyle chess | Classical chess