2/22/2024 – Magnus Carlsen was challenged, and he won what he called his "dream tournament." The world number one rated player was crowned the winner of the inaugural Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge on Friday afternoon at the closing ceremony, held in the playing hall half an hour after the last game had ended. After the players received their prizes, organizer and host Jan Henric Buettner (pictured) announced big plans for the future. | Picture: ChessBase India

2/19/2024 – Jan Henric Buettner, the driving force behind the G.O.A.T. Freestyle Challenge, had promised that the tournament in Weissenhaus would set a new milestone in the presentation of chess. This was indeed the case, and expectations were exceeded. It was the players themselves who had the most fun. The focus was not on opening knowledge, but on creativity and talent. Gregor Poniewasz has collected sounds and pictures from the final day of play.

2/17/2024 – Magnus Carlsen defeated Fabiano Caruana with the white pieces to claim overall victory at the first edition of the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Chess Challenge. The Norwegian took home the US$ 60,000 first prize for his efforts. Levon Aronian grabbed third place after beating Nodirbek Abdusattorov, while Alireza Firouzja secured an invitation to the next edition of the event by beating Gukesh D in the fight for fifth place. | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

2/16/2024 – A new super-tournament is taking place on February 9-16 at the Weissenhaus Luxury Resort in Germany. The Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge is an 8-player, innovative event featuring, among others, Magnus Carlsen and world champion Ding Liren. The final day of action sees the two highest-rated players in the world, Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, fighting for the title. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 13.00 CET (7.00 ET, 17.30 IST)

2/15/2024 – Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana signed a draw in the first game of the finals at the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Chess Challenge. In the match for third place, Levon Aronian barely escaped with a draw against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, while Alireza Firouzja got the better of Gukesh D in the fight for fifth place. Finally, in the match for seventh place, Vincent Keymer defeated an out-of-form Ding Liren. | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

2/14/2024 – Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen, the two highest-rated players in the world, will play the final match at the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Chess Challenge. While Carlsen defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov by a 1½-½ score, Caruana’s match against Levon Aronian went all the way to Armageddon. Caruana twice blundered in winning positions in what was a thrilling confrontation. | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

2/14/2024 – Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Fabiano Caruana respectively to get ahead on the scoreboard in the semi-finals of the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Challenge. Meanwhile, in the consolation bracket, Alireza Firouzja and Vincent Keymer got the better of Ding Liren and Gukesh D. | Photo: Amruta Mokal

2/12/2024 – Magnus Carlsen is set to face Nodirbek Abusattorov in the semi-finals of the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Challenge after beating Alireza Firouzja in rapid tiebreaks. Abdusattorov drew Ding Liren to get a 1½-½ victory in their mini-match. In the other pairing of the semi-finals, Levon Aronian will play Fabiano Caruana. Aronian defeated Vincent Keymer in the second encounter of their match, while Caruana obtained the half point he needed to beat Gukesh D in their 2-game confrontation. | Photo: Amruta Mokal

2/12/2024 – The first (classical) games of the quarter-finals at the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Chess Challenge took place on Sunday. World number one Magnus Carlsen and world champion Ding Liren both suffered defeats with the black pieces, as they were outplayed by Alireza Firouzja and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, respectively. The one ‘veteran’ to score a win was Fabiano Caruana, who got the better of Gukesh D, while Vincent Keymer and Levon Aronian signed a draw after a wild, entertaining struggle. | Photo: Amruta Mokal

2/10/2024 – Nodirbek Abdusattorov was the top scorer in the rapid stage of the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Challenge in Germany. The Uzbek prodigy was the only player to remain undefeated in the single round-robin, and got to collect four wins in seven rounds, including a fine positional victory over Magnus Carlsen. Vincent Keymer finished second thanks to his great performance on Friday, while Fabiano Caruana climbed to third place after collecting 2½ out of 3 points on the second day of action. | Photo: Amruta Mokal

2/10/2024 – The first day of the preliminary rapid stage in the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Challenge saw Vincent Keymer emerging as sole leader with 3½/4 points. To reach this score, the German star defeated Ding Liren, Fabiano Caruana and Levon Aronian, while his one draw was signed in his game against Magnus Carlsen. Gukesh D and Nodirbek Abdusattorov are sharing second place a half point back.

2/9/2024 – A new super tournament starts in Weissenhaus, near Hamburg, Germany, today. But it is not just any other super tournament. This event is introduced by none other than the World no.1 Magnus Carlsen himself and it will be in Fischer-Random format or as Carlsen likes to say, Freestyle. Hence, the name WEISSENHAUS Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge. Carlsen's handpicked opponents for this eight-player tournament are: Fabiano Caruana (USA), Ding Liren (CHN), Alireza Firouzja (FRA), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB), D Gukesh, Vincent Keymer (GER) and Levon Aronian (USA). There will be four rounds of Rapid games played today in Playoffs. Round 1 starts today at 1 p.m. CET, 5:30 p.m. IST, 7 a.m. EST. | Photos: Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal

2/8/2024 – Chess960 or Freestyle chess will soon be the centre of attention. The 1st German Chess960 Championship will take place in Berlin, Germany, on 9 February and in the German spa Weissenhaus at the Baltic see the world's best chess players will compete in the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge. But who invented this form of chess? Chess historian Hans D. Post has been searching the archives. | Picture: Philip Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt, who probably was the first to come up with the idea of Chess960 or Freestyle chess.

2/8/2024 – A new super-tournament is about to start at the Weissenhaus Luxury Resort in Germany. The Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge is an 8-player, innovative event featuring, among others, world number one Magnus Carlsen and world champion Ding Liren. A single round-robin with a rapid time control will be followed by a knockout tournament with a classical time control. The event will take place on February 9-16. | More info here!

2/6/2024 – Jan Henric Buettner is the man behind the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge in Weissenhaus, which starts on Friday and sets new standards in terms of the line-up and the presentation of a chess tournament. In an interview with André Schulz, the successful entrepreneur introduces the tournament: “It’s going to be mega fun!”

12/1/2023 – From 9 to 16 February 2024, the Weissenhaus Private Nature Luxury Resort on the Baltic Sea in Germany will be the venue for a super tournament in "Freestyle Chess", also known as Chess960. Seven world-class players, including world champion Ding Liren and Vincent Keymer, will challenge the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Times), Magnus Carlsen, in a Chess960 tournament with classical time control.