Vincent Keymer vs Magnus Carlsen in the semi-finals of the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour ended in a shocking upset, as Keymer defeated the World No. 1 in Wangels, Germany. The 20-year-old German GM won the first game and held Carlsen to a draw in the second, securing his place in the finals. “Mostly, I’m relieved that I managed to see out this very tough game. And also, it’s for me a personal incredible achievement to beat Magnus in a match,” Keymer said after his victory.
Vincent Keymer vs Magnus Carlsen
Carlsen, known for his resilience, struggled against Keymer’s aggressive play. The German GM maintained control, using precise calculations and solid time management. “Even if I was in a must-win situation, my position was clearly better,” Keymer explained. Despite a few difficult moments, he never felt the game was out of reach.
Part of Team Gukesh at the World Championship
Keymer was one of D Gukesh’s seconds during the 2024 World Chess Championship, where the Indian prodigy defeated Ding Liren to become world champion. Other team members included Grzegorz Gajewski, Radoslaw Wojtaszek, Pentala Harikrishna, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, and mentor Viswanathan Anand.
Also Read: How Magnus Carlsen’s Freestyle Chess is Changing the Game Forever
Keymer’s Journey and Next Challenge
Vincent Keymer has been a rising star in the chess world. Born in 2004, he became a Grandmaster in 2020 and reached a peak FIDE rating of 2743. His career highlights include winning the Grenke Chess Open at just 13 years old, defeating multiple grandmasters.
With this victory, Keymer advances to the finals, where he will face Fabiano Caruana. Caruana, a former World Championship challenger, secured his place after defeating Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov. The final promises to be a high stakes battle between two of the world’s top players.
Keymer’s win over Carlsen cements his place among the elite. As he prepares for the finals, all eyes will be on him to see if he can claim the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam title.
Also Read: How Magnus Carlsen is Breaking Every Barrier in Chess
