GM Vincent Keymer, the first 2025 Freestyle Chess Champion in Weissenhaus

The 2025 Freestyle Chess Tour in Weissenhaus, Germany concluded with an exciting finale.  GM Vincent Keymer crowned as the champion from the first Freestyle Chess Tour held in Weissenhaus.

GM Vincent had a solid start with exceptional skills and strategic prowess during the first tournament and emerged victorious in the final showdown against GM Fabiano Caruana who won the 2nd place. This innovative tournament brought together some of the best minds in the chess world to compete in a unique format that tested their strategic skills and adaptability.  GM Magnus Carlsen the former Freestyle champion won the 3rd place.

What is Freestyle Chess?

Freestyle Chess is a variant of traditional chess. With 960 freestyle chess positions available as compared to the traditional chess, the random position of the minor and major pieces and the King result in dynamic and unpredictable gameplay. In a way, players need to apply creativity and intuition unlike the traditional chess where players have the upper hand due to the availability of various resources and past games.

The Freestyle Chess Tour in Weissenhaus featured a series of intense matches where participants had to navigate complex positions and make critical decisions. The players are given time for group discussion on the position selected to play during the round. 

The success of the Freestyle Chess Tour in Weissenhaus highlights the ongoing evolution of chess as a sport. 

As the chess world continues to explore new formats and opportunities for innovation, events like the Freestyle Chess Tour in Weissenhaus serve as a testament to the enduring appeal and excitement of the game.

Congratulations to the first winner GM Vincent Keymer.

The next Freestyle Chess event to be played in Paris  and features 12 players. The following players will play in Paris along with 4 unidentified players.

GM Vincent Keymer, GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Alireza Firouzja, GM Gukesh Dommaraju, GM Arjun Erigaisi, GM Hans Niemann