The Grand Slam Freestyle Chess tour should introduce shorter time checks and a five -day condensed format in the next event. The changes were suggested by Magnus Carlsen and his father, revealed the co-founder Jan Henric Buettner.
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Large changes are in the line for the Grand Chelem tour of 2025 Freestyle Chess, with the next event which should adopt a shorter time control. The co-founder of the tour, Jan Henric Buettner, announced the new format during the official broadcast of the current Paris leg. He also said that the idea had been launched by former world champion Magnus Carlsen and his father, Henrik Carlsen.
Buettner has confirmed that the next freestyle event will include 45 -minute matches with a 10 -second move, replacing the current 90 -minute games with an increase of 30 seconds observed in the Parisian leg leg. Buettner said that this adjustment had been implemented in Carlsen and his father’s suggestion.
“Magnus said basically that they, as players, gained so much in terms of quality that they no longer need 90 minutes. He said they could go with 45 -minute matches. It is a kind of decision by Magnus, and I spoke to other players before seeing that we have not only Magnus but everyone on board,” said Buettner.
Why does the format change?
Buettner has also revealed that another key motivation behind the change is to make freestyle failures more accessible to the public and the sponsors. Buettner acknowledged that maintaining long -hour commitment is a challenge, especially outside India.
“For a four -hour match, it is very difficult to get an audience if you are not in India,” noted Buettner.
The compressed time format is also designed to shorten the global event. Instead of the current eight -day structure, the tour will now see a five -day model. As part of the new system, players will participate in the two legs of a round the same day, playing two 45 -minute games rather than spreading the games over two days.
Buettner also revealed that the next stage of the Freestyle chess tour will be organized in Las Vegas, instead of the previously planned New York site. He also confirmed that the event will have an audience live.
Regarding the Paris leg of the Freestyle chess tour, Magnus Carlsen, as well as Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura and Vincent Keymer, qualified for the semi-finals. They are currently playing in match 2 of the semi-finals after drawing their opening matches on Friday. Carlsen plays Caruana, while Nakamura locks the horns against Keymer.
