Gukesh holds Firouzja as Freestyle Chess Grand Slam heats up

World champion D Gukesh showcased resilience to secure a hard-fought draw against Alireza Firouzja in the final round of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Hamburg, Germany.

The intense battle saw Gukesh on the defensive for much of the game, but he managed to hold firm in a prolonged endgame, keeping his hopes alive for a top-eight qualification spot.

German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer delivered a crucial victory against American star Fabiano Caruana, increasing the pressure on the former world championship contender to bounce back in the next game and push the match into a tiebreak.

Meanwhile, world number one Magnus Carlsen recovered from his semifinal loss to Keymer with a dominant performance in the third-place playoff. Playing with the black pieces, Carlsen comfortably defeated Uzbek talent Javokhir Sindarov, reaffirming his status as a top contender in the $750,000 prize money tournament.

Hikaru Nakamura also staged a remarkable turnaround, overcoming a challenging position to defeat Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The Uzbek Grandmaster had a promising position but overcomplicated a minor piece endgame, allowing Nakamura to capitalize and claim victory.

Results Summary

Vincent Keymer (GER) beat Fabiano Caruana (USA)

Hikaru Nakamura (USA) defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB)

D Gukesh (IND) held Alireza Firouzja (FRA) to a draw

Magnus Carlsen (NOR) beat Javokhir Sindarov (UZB)