India’s chess prodigies clashed with the world’s elite at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Paris, April 7-14, 2025. Arjun Erigaisi dazzled, securing fifth place in his debut, while D Gukesh faltered, finishing joint-11th. Erigaisi thrived and Gukesh struggled in this unpredictable Chess960 format, where pieces randomize on the back rank. Discover how India’s stars navigated this thrilling chess frontier.
Erigaisi Masters Freestyle with Bold Play
Arjun Erigaisi, ranked World No. 4, embraced Freestyle Chess like a natural. He finished fourth in the round-robin stage, earning 6.5 points with five wins, including stunning victories over Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Vincent Keymer. His daring approach suited the format’s chaos, as he controlled the center with moves like e4 and d4. “I noticed centre control still matters greatly,” Erigaisi said, revealing his strategy.
His composure stood out. Chess.com India noted his heart rate stayed in the 60s and 70s, even in high-stakes moments. After losing to Hikaru Nakamura in the quarterfinals, he rebounded, defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave to clinch fifth place and $50,000 (₹43 lakh). “This is one of the most fun tournaments I’ve had,” Erigaisi told ChessBase India. His adaptability signals a bright future in Freestyle events like the upcoming Las Vegas leg.
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Gukesh Falters in Freestyle Chess Paris
D Gukesh, the 18-year-old World Champion, struggled again in Freestyle Chess. After a winless Weissenhaus leg, he scored only 3.5 points in Paris, finishing 11th. He managed wins against Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa, and Keymer but lost seven of 11 round-robin games, including to Carlsen and Nakamura. A defeat to Richard Rapport in the 9th-12th playoff sealed his poor run.
Gukesh admitted confidence issues. “I’m not as confident in Freestyle as in other formats,” he said on Chess.com’s live stream. The format’s randomness, revealed just 10 minutes before games, demands quick adaptation, which Gukesh found tough. Despite his Classical chess dominance, like finishing second at Tata Steel Chess 2025, Freestyle remains his Achilles’ heel. Fellow Indians Praggnanandhaa (9th) and Vidit Gujrathi (joint-11th) also struggled, highlighting India’s Freestyle learning curve.
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