The Grand Chess Tour 2025 concluded in São Paulo, Brazil, with Fabiano Caruana clinching his second overall Tour title. In what was the Tour’s first-ever final in South America, Caruana was nothing short of spectacular.
Grand Chess Tour 2025: The Final Showdown
The Grand Chess Tour 2025 finals featured a single-elimination knockout among the top four players: Fabiano Caruana, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Levon Aronian, and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu. The format included two classical, two rapid, and four blitz games, with a total prize fund of $350,000 for the event.
Caruana’s path to victory was not without its challenges. After losing the opening game to Vachier-Lagrave, he engineered a comeback by winning three consecutive games and gaining the lead. The final game saw Vachier-Lagrave pressing for a playoff, but under time pressure, he faltered, allowing Fabiano Caruana to secure the title and the $150,000 first prize. Vachier-Lagrave finished runner-up with $100,000.
In the third-place match, Levon Aronian dominated against Praggnanandhaa, clinching the win with several games to spare and taking home $60,000, while Praggnanandhaa earned $40,000 for his efforts. Notably, all final contestants now hold guaranteed spots in the 2026 Grand Chess Tour lineup.
Fabiano Caruana’s Dominance
Fabiano Caruana’s 2025 campaign was impressive, with wins not only in São Paulo but also in key events like the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and Sinquefield Cup. Over the full season, he amassed nearly $290,000 in prize money, highlighting his consistency across multiple tournament formats. The Tour’s diverse set of competitors included several world champions and rising stars, emphasising the global reach and competitive depth of modern chess.
Read More
Also read: Comeback Of The Century: How Marc Marquez Took 7th MotoGP World Championship
