View source for Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge

{{About|the tournament using a randomized board setup|the computer-aided variant|Advanced chess}}
{{Short description|Fischer random chess tournament}}
[[File:Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge logo.svg|thumb|Logo of the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge]]
The '''Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge''' was an 8-player [[over-the-board]] classical [[Fischer random chess]] tournament that took place at [[Gut Weißenhaus]] in [[Wangels]], [[Germany]] from February 9–16, 2024. It was the first major Fischer random chess tournament that used classical chess time controls.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Svensen (TarjeiJS) |first=Tarjei J. |date=2024-02-06 |title=Carlsen, Ding, Caruana In New $200,000 Classical Fischer-Random Event |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/carlsen-ding-caruana-in-new-200-000-fischer-random-event |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
The tournament was organized and sponsored by [[Jan Henric Buettner]], owner of the Weißenhaus resort, and co-organized by five-time World Chess Champion [[Magnus Carlsen]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pütz |first=Florian |date=2024-02-14 |title=Treffen sich ein Multimillionär, Miss Angola und Schachstar Magnus Carlsen am Weißenhäuser Strand... |url=https://www.spiegel.de/sport/schach-star-magnus-carlsen-in-weissenhaus-sieht-so-die-zukunft-des-schachs-aus-a-10e955d5-c0e5-4cbc-aec8-f64af126023a |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240214201002/https://www.spiegel.de/sport/schach-star-magnus-carlsen-in-weissenhaus-sieht-so-die-zukunft-des-schachs-aus-a-10e955d5-c0e5-4cbc-aec8-f64af126023a |archive-date=2024-02-14 |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=Der Spiegel |language=de |issn=2195-1349}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schormann |first=Conrad |title=We’re breaking new ground |url=https://www.freestyle-chess.com/news/were-breaking-new-ground/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.freestyle-chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
Carlsen reportedly handpicked the seven other competitors – [[Ding Liren]], [[Fabiano Caruana]], [[Alireza Firouzja]], [[Gukesh D]], [[Nodirbek Abdusattorov]], [[Vincent Keymer]] and [[Levon Aronian]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-08 |title=Freestyle G.O.A.T. Challenge: An innovative, luxurious approach |url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/freestlye-challenge-2024-preview |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Chess News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chess tournament of the world&#39;s best |url=https://www.weissenhaus.de/en/packages/freestyle-chess.html |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Weissenhaus Englisch |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-09 |title=Gukesh to battle Carlsen and world's best at Weissenhaus Freestyle G.O.A.T. Challenge - ChessBase India |url=https://www.chessbase.in/news/Weissenhaus-Freestyle-GOAT-Challenge-2024-preview |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=www.chessbase.in}}</ref> Fischer Random World Champion [[Hikaru Nakamura]] was invited, but declined to participate, possibly in order to focus on the upcoming [[Candidates Tournament]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=McGourty (Colin_McGourty) |first=Colin |date=2024-02-10 |title=Freestyle Chess Day 1: Gukesh Beats Carlsen As Keymer Leads |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2024-freestyle-chess-goat-challenge-day-1 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Carlsen won the event.
In March 2024, Buettner and Carlsen announced that the tournament would expand into a yearly series of events with increased prize funds.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-16 |title=Carlsen, Buettner Unveil Extravagant Chess960 Grand Slam Tour Across 5 Continents |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/carlsen-launches-luxury-freestyle-tour-across-five-continents |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Format ==
The event started with a [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] [[Rapid chess|rapid]] tournament to determine the pairings for the main classical event. The time control for the round-robin is 25 minutes plus 10 seconds increment per move. It took place over the first two days of the tournament, February 9–10.
The main event is a [[single-elimination tournament]].
* The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, and a 30-second increment per move after move 40.
* The matches consist of two classical games. In the event of a tie, rapid and blitz tiebreaks are played in the following order until the tie is broken – two 15+10 rapid games, two 5+2 blitz games and if a tie persists then 5+2 blitz games until there's a winner.
Before each round, the starting position for the round is drawn using 958 balls (the normal chess position, and the same position with queens and kings swapped, are excluded). The players get 10 minutes to discuss the position before the start of a round.<ref name=":0" />
== Name ==
[[File:Magnus Carlsen in 2023.jpg|thumb|Magnus Carlsen co-organised the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge]]
Freestyle Chess is another name for [[Fischer random chess]], otherwise known as Chess960, a [[Chess variant|variant]] of chess where there are 958 different possible starting positions (minus the standard chess position and the same position with kings and queens swapped).<ref>{{cite web |title=Freestyle Chess |url=https://www.chess.com/terms/freestyle-chess |website=Chess.com |access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Chess: Carlsen beats Caruana in freestyle final while Ding finishes last |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/feb/16/chess-carlsen-v-caruana-in-freestyle-final-as-ding-loses-seven-in-a-row |website=The Guardian |access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref> In previous Freestyle Chess tournaments, notably the [[World Chess960 Championship]]s, largely rapid chess time controls had been used instead of classical chess, despite randomised starting positions requiring more time for thought due to the lack of [[Chess theory|opening theory]]. This led Magnus Carlsen to pitch his idea for a classical Freestyle Chess tournament.<ref name=":0" />
Carlsen's status as arguably the [[Comparison of top chess players throughout history|greatest chess player of all time]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chess: who is the greatest — Fischer, Kasparov or Carlsen? |url=https://www.ft.com/content/ffcc3382-e2ec-4041-9458-aeb4b31eb77e |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.ft.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Potrykus |first=Lucas |date=2023-08-05 |title=Why Magnus Carlsen Is The Greatest Chess Player Of All Time |url=https://medium.com/illumination/why-magnus-carlsen-is-the-greatest-chess-player-of-all-time-16fd399a0aa6 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=ILLUMINATION |language=en}}</ref> or the "G.O.A.T",<ref>{{Cite web |title=Magnus Carlsen » Weissenhaus – FREESTYLE CHEES G.O.A.T. CHALLENGE |url=https://www.freestyle-chess.com/persons/magnus-carlsen/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.freestyle-chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and him handpicking his opponents or "challengers" inspired the name "Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge".<ref>{{Cite web |title=WEISSENHAUS - FREESTYLE CHESS G.O.A.T. CHALLENGE |url=https://www.freestyle-chess.com/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.freestyle-chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Prize fund ==
The total prize fund for the event was $200,000.<ref name=":1" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Place
!Prize money
|-
|1
|$60,000
|-
|2
|$40,000
|-
|3
|$30,000
|-
|4
|$20,000
|-
|5
|$15,000
|-
|6
|$12,000
|-
|7
|$10,000
|-
|8
|$8,000
|}
== Results ==
=== Rapid event ===
[[File:Nodirbek Abdusattorov in 2023 (52638128621).jpg|thumb|Nodirbek Abdusattorov went undefeated to win the rapid event, scoring 5.5 out of 7 points.]]
The first four rounds of the rapid round-robin event were played on day 1. World Chess Champion Ding Liren blundered a piece and lost against Fabiano Caruana in round 1, and went on to lose his next three games as well. Gukesh recovered from a round 1 loss to Alireza Firouzja to win his next 3 games, including a round 2 win over Magnus Carlsen and a round 4 win over Ding.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-10 |title=Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge: D Gukesh Downs Magnus Carlsen, Ding Liren to go Second |url=https://www.news18.com/sports/weissenhaus-freestyle-chess-g-o-a-t-challenge-d-gukesh-downs-magnus-carlsen-ding-liren-to-go-second-8773961.html |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dommaraju Gukesh Beats Number 1 Magnus Carlsen, World Champion Ding Liren, Levon Aronian In Freestyle Chess GOAT Challenge 2024 |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/sports/dommaraju-gukesh-beats-number-1-magnus-carlsen-world-champion-ding-liren-levon-aronian-in-freestyle-chess-goat-challenge-2024 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Outlook India |language=en}}</ref> The only undefeated players were Vincent Keymer and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the former scoring 3.5/4 to emerge the sole leader.<ref name=":0" />
Ding's loss streak continued on day 2 as he lost his round 5 encounter with Carlsen, the first meeting between the two world champions since Ding's title victory in 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barden |first=Leonard |date=2024-02-05 |title=World No 1 v world champion: Carlsen and Ding to meet this weekend |url=https://www.ft.com/content/f11ec684-e81a-4fa7-9025-f4f3c9c94680 |access-date=2024-02-10 |work=Financial Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-08 |title=Magnus Carlsen takes on Ding Liren in a radical ‘freestyle chess’ format for 1st time after giving up crown |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/magnus-carlsen-to-meet-ding-liren-in-a-format-called-freestyle-chess-whats-that-9151831/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> Ding lost again in round 6 before finishing in last place with a total score of 0.5/7. Abdusattorov remained undefeated, beating Gukesh in round 6 and Carlsen in round 7 to win the rapid event with a score of 5.5/7, half a point ahead of Keymer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nodirbek Abdusattorov comes first in the round-robin » Weissenhaus – FREESTYLE CHEES G.O.A.T. CHALLENGE |url=https://www.freestyle-chess.com/news/final-day-of-the-preliminaries/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=www.freestyle-chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Rapid Event, 9–10 February 2024
!# !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! Points
|-
| 1 || align=left| {{flagathlete|[[Nodirbek Abdusattorov]]|UZB}} || 2733
| {{CNone}} || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || '''5½'''
|-
| 2 || align=left| {{flagathlete|[[Vincent Keymer]]|GER}} || 2627
| ½ || {{CNone}} || 1 || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || '''5'''
|-
| 3 || align=left| {{Flagathlete|[[Fabiano Caruana]]|USA}} || 2729
| ½ || 0 || {{CNone}} || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || '''4½'''
|-
| 4 || align=left| {{Flagathlete|[[Alireza Firouzja]]|FRA}} || 2724
| 0 || 1 || ½ || {{CNone}} || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || '''4'''
|-
| 5 || align=left| {{Flagathlete|[[Magnus Carlsen]]|NOR}} || 2823
| 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || {{CNone}} || 0 || 1 || 1 || '''3½'''
|-
| 6 || align=left| {{Flagathlete|[[Gukesh D]]|IND}} || 2649
| 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || {{CNone}} || 1 || 1 || '''3'''
|-
| 7 || align=left| {{Flagathlete|[[Levon Aronian]]|USA}} || 2746
| ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || {{CNone}} || 1 || '''2'''
|-
| 8 || align=left| {{Flagathlete|[[Ding Liren]]|CHN}} || 2818
| 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || {{CNone}} || '''½'''
|}
=== Main event ===
{{8TeamBracket
|team-width=220
|RD1-team1='''{{flagathlete|[[Nodirbek Abdusattorov]]|UZB}}'''
|RD1-score1='''1½'''
|RD1-seed1='''1'''
|RD1-team2={{flagathlete|[[Ding Liren]]|CHN}}
|RD1-score2=½
|RD1-seed2=8
|RD1-team3={{flagathlete|[[Alireza Firouzja]]|FRA}}
|RD1-score3=1
|RD1-seed3=4
|RD1-team4='''{{flagathlete|[[Magnus Carlsen]]|NOR}}'''
|RD1-score4='''3'''
|RD1-seed4='''5'''
|RD1-team5='''{{flagathlete|[[Fabiano Caruana]]|USA}}'''
|RD1-score5='''1½'''
|RD1-seed5='''3'''
|RD1-team6={{flagathlete|[[Gukesh D]]|IND}}
|RD1-score6=½
|RD1-seed6=6
|RD1-team7={{flagathlete|[[Vincent Keymer]]|GER}}
|RD1-score7=½
|RD1-seed7=2
|RD1-team8='''{{flagathlete|[[Levon Aronian]]|USA}}'''
|RD1-score8='''1½'''
|RD1-seed8='''7'''
|RD2-team1={{flagathlete|[[Nodirbek Abdusattorov]]|UZB}}
|RD2-score1=½
|RD2-seed1=1
|RD2-team2='''{{flagathlete|[[Magnus Carlsen]]|NOR}}'''
|RD2-score2='''1½'''
|RD2-seed2='''5'''
|RD2-team3='''{{flagathlete|[[Fabiano Caruana]]|USA}}'''
|RD2-score3='''5'''
|RD2-seed3='''3'''
|RD2-team4={{flagathlete|[[Levon Aronian]]|USA}}
|RD2-score4=4
|RD2-seed4=7
|RD3-team1='''{{flagathlete|[[Magnus Carlsen]]|NOR}}'''
|RD3-score1='''1½'''
|RD3-seed1='''5'''
|RD3-team2={{flagathlete|[[Fabiano Caruana]]|USA}}
|RD3-score2=½
|RD3-seed2=3
|RD3-team3={{flagathlete|[[Nodirbek Abdusattorov]]|UZB}}
|RD3-score3=½
|RD3-seed3=1
|RD3-team4='''{{flagathlete|[[Levon Aronian]]|USA}}'''
|RD3-score4='''1½'''
|RD3-seed4='''7'''
}}
==== 5th-8th Place ====
{{4TeamBracket
|team-width=220
|RD1-team1={{flagathlete|[[Ding Liren]]|CHN}}
|RD1-score1=½
|RD1-seed1=8
|RD1-team2='''{{flagathlete|[[Alireza Firouzja]]|FRA}}'''
|RD1-score2='''1½'''
|RD1-seed2='''4'''
|RD1-team3='''{{flagathlete|[[Gukesh D]]|IND}}'''
|RD1-score3='''2½'''
|RD1-seed3='''6'''
|RD1-team4={{flagathlete|[[Vincent Keymer]]|GER}}
|RD1-score4=1½
|RD1-seed4=2
|RD2-team1='''{{flagathlete|[[Alireza Firouzja]]|FRA}}'''
|RD2-score1='''1½'''
|RD2-seed1='''4'''
|RD2-team2={{flagathlete|[[Gukesh D]]|IND}}
|RD2-score2=½
|RD2-seed2=6
|RD2-team3={{flagathlete|[[Ding Liren]]|CHN}}
|RD2-score3=0
|RD2-seed3=8
|RD2-team4='''{{flagathlete|[[Vincent Keymer]]|GER}}'''
|RD2-score4='''2'''
|RD2-seed4='''2'''
|RD2=Fifth place
|RD2b=Seventh place
}}
=== Freestyle Chess ratings ===
Freestyle Chess [[Elo rating system|elo ratings]] for the players were revealed at the end of the event.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGourty (Colin_McGourty) |first=Colin |date=2024-02-16 |title=Carlsen Beats Caruana To Win Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2024-freestyle-chess-goat-challenge-day-8 |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!#
!Player
!Freestyle Rating
!FIDE Rating
|-
|1
|{{Flagathlete|[[Magnus Carlsen]]|NOR}}
|2841.0
|2830
|-
|2
|{{Flagathlete|[[Fabiano Caruana]]|USA}}
|2798.2
|2804
|-
|3
|{{Flagathlete|[[Levon Aronian]]|USA}}
|2749.6
|2725
|-
|4
|{{Flagathlete|[[Nodirbek Abdusattorov]]|UZB}}
|2738.4
|2744
|-
|5
|{{Flagathlete|[[Alireza Firouzja]]|FRA}}
|2779.6
|2760
|-
|6
|{{Flagathlete|[[Gukesh D]]|IND}}
|2729.4
|2743
|-
|7
|{{Flagathlete|[[Vincent Keymer]]|GER}}
|2747.2
|2738
|-
|8
|{{Flagathlete|[[Ding Liren]]|CHN}}
|2722.6
|2762
|}
== Future ==
Tournament co-organizer Jan Henric Buettner announced that Freestyle Chess will likely launch a tour in 2025. The top five players from the 2024 event qualified for the 2025 tour: the semifinalists Carlsen, Caruana, Aronian and Abdusattorov, as well as the winner of the 5th-8th place bracket, Firouzja. Fischer Random World Champion Hikaru Nakamura will also be invited again in 2025.<ref>{{Citation |title=Hikaru Was Invited to Freestyle and IS Invited Next Year |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXPwimit7dc |access-date=2024-02-18 |publisher=[[Hikaru Nakamura|GMHikaru]] |language=en}}</ref> The tour is planned to comprise four events, one in the same venue in February 2025, and ones in the United States in May, India in August and South Africa in November.<ref>{{Citation |title="Likely that Freestyle Chess will launch a tour in 2025" - Jan Buettner |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx0hdRwa1f8 |access-date=2024-02-15 |language=en}}</ref>
After the event, Buettner said he planned to organise a Grand Slam of five Freestyle Chess tournaments on five continents with a million dollar prize fund for each event.<ref>{{Cite web |title=“My dream is a Grand Slam of Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenges on five continents” » Weissenhaus – FREESTYLE CHEES G.O.A.T. CHALLENGE |url=https://www.freestyle-chess.com/news/my-dream-is-a-grand-slam-of-freestyle-chess-g-o-a-t-challenges-on-five-continents/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=www.freestyle-chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref> He also confirmed that the event would return in 2025 with higher prize money.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The prize money is there, the winner not yet » Weissenhaus – FREESTYLE CHEES G.O.A.T. CHALLENGE |url=https://www.freestyle-chess.com/news/the-prize-money-is-there-the-winner-not-yet/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=www.freestyle-chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{official website}}
[[Category:Invitational chess tournaments]]
[[Category:2024 in chess]]
[[Category:2024 in German sport]]
[[Category:Fischer random chess]]
[[Category:Magnus Carlsen]]