Armenian chess grandmaster Levon Aronian became the South Africa Grand Slam champion by defeating World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen 1.5 to 0.5 in a decisive two-game match at the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Final, making history as the first player to win two Grand Slam titles back to back and completing a dominant run through one of the year’s most competitive elite events.
The final took place at the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve near Cape Town, South Africa, where eight of the world’s top players competed in rapid and knockout rounds across four days as part of the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. Aronian, who now represents the United States, continued to showcase the strength and depth of Armenian chess on the global stage.
Aronian delivered a commanding performance throughout the tournament. In the quarterfinals he defeated American Hans Niemann 3 to 1, then advanced to the final after overcoming German grandmaster Vincent Keymer by the same 3 to 1 score in the semifinals. His victory in Cape Town follows his earlier win on the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Las Vegas, making this his second Tour leg victory of the year. Aronian constantly proves that age is a mere number for him. He earned $200,000 for his first-place finish.
Former world champion Carlsen reached the championship match after a strong run of his own. He defeated American Fabiano Caruana 3 to 1 in the quarterfinals, then beat Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov 2.5 to 1.5 in the semifinals. Despite this, he was unable to stop Aronian in the Grand Slam Final.
Aronian’s play in the championship match was decisive. In Game 1 he played a strong game with the White pieces, gaining a clear advantage out of the opening phase and winning convincingly. In Game 2 he secured a solid draw with the Black pieces, managing the position with precision and securing both the match and the tournament.
The final standings for the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Final were: 1st Levon Aronian, 2nd Magnus Carlsen, 3rd Vincent Keymer, 4th Javokhir Sindarov, 5th Fabiano Caruana, 6th Arjun Erigaisi, 7th Hans Niemann, 8th Parham Maghsoodloo. Aronian also secured second place in the overall season standings.
The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Final is part of a global series of Chess960 events that has drawn elite competitors throughout the year. The event offered a $750,000 prize pool, reflecting the international scale and rising prestige of the freestyle format.
Armenians around the world congratulate Levon Aronian for an absolutely amazing performance, winning two consecutive Grand Slams and capturing the South Africa Grand Slam title.
