Armenian Chess Grandmaster Levon Aronian has officially secured victory at the prestigious “Grand Chess Tour: Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz 2025” with two rounds still remaining. Aronian’s dominant performance throughout the rapid and blitz segments has put him out of reach of his closest rivals, sealing the title ahead of schedule.
With a commanding 23.5 points, Aronian holds a 2.5-point lead over second-place Fabiano Caruana (21 points) and a 3.5-point gap over third-place Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (20 points). His consistent play against the world’s elite—including reigning and former world champions—has showcased his exceptional form and strategic mastery.
While the battle for first place is now decided, the fight for second remains intense, with Caruana and Vachier-Lagrave still in close contention. The final two blitz rounds will determine the complete standings.
Fans can relive Aronian’s path to victory and watch the final games live through the Armenian Chess Federation’s official broadcast at chessfed.am/en/live.
Last month, Aronian delivered another career-defining triumph by winning the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam. He defeated American Grandmaster Hans Niemann, currently ranked World No. 19, in the final to claim the tournament’s $200,000 first-place prize.
The final match began with a draw in the first game, but Aronian clinched the championship by winning the second, earning a decisive victory. His road to the title was nothing short of remarkable—he overcame World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the group stage, World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura in the quarterfinals, and World No. 5 Arjun Erigaisi in the semifinals, before defeating Niemann in the final.
Held from July 16–20 at the five-star Wynn Las Vegas, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam featured 16 of the world’s top players competing in a Chess960 format, beginning with a 10+10 blitz round-robin group stage and culminating in high-stakes double-elimination knockout rounds.
With this back-to-back success in both classical and freestyle chess, Aronian has further cemented his status among the global elite, proving his dominance across formats and reaffirming his position as one of the most formidable players in the modern era.
