D Gukesh’s hopes of winning the Weissenhaus leg of the inaugural Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 came to an end on Monday (10 January) as he was forced to resign after just 18 moves in the second quarter-finals against American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.

World Champion D Gukesh began his campaign at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour with three draws and a lone loss, signaling that he is gradually coming to terms with the new format.

This isn't just another chess tournament though, with a public spat between Carlsen and the promoters of the FCGT with FIDE in the build-up to the tournament.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER On Friday, Magnus Carlsen begins his quest to grow the popularity of an alternative chess variant and win the tournament itself.

Magnus Carlsen questioned the validity of classical chess as a measure of skill, favoring rapid chess. Gukesh acknowledged the quality of their championship match, while Carlsen ruled out a title clash.