Grenke Chess Festival 2025 has emerged as a ground-breaking event with its dual format, the classical Grenke Chess Open, and the innovative Grenke Freestyle Chess Open. The tournament started on 17 April and is on the verge of getting concluded with the final round scheduled for 21 April 2025. The tournament also featured a total prize pool of €295,000, attracting over 3,000 participants from around the world.
World Number 1 Magnus Carlsen has shown why he’s held that position for so long as he remains unbeaten in the Grenke Chess Festival by maintaining a perfect 5/5 score after five rounds. Carlsen overcame challenges from top-class grandmasters, including an intense clash against Nils Grandelius.
Seven players are following Carlsen by half a point, including rising star Awonder Liang, Leon Luke Mendonca, and Parham Maghsoodlo.
Top 20 Players At The Grenke Chess Festival After Round 5
| Rank | Player | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magnus Carlsen | Norway | 5 |
| 2 | Awonder Liang | USA | 4.5 |
| 2 | Paulius Pultinevicius | Lithuania | 4.5 |
| 4 | Leon Luke Mendonca | India | 4.5 |
| 5 | Alexey Sarana | Russia | 4.5 |
| 6 | Matthias Bluebaum | Germany | 4.5 |
| 6 | Baadur Jobava | Georgia | 4.5 |
| 8 | Parham Maghsoodloo | Iran | 4.5 |
| 9 | Victor Mikhalevski | Israel | 4 |
| 10 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Russia | 4 |
| 10 | Hans Moke Niemann | USA | 4 |
| 10 | Rauf Mamedov | Azerbaijan | 4 |
| 13 | Aryan Chopra | India | 4 |
| 14 | Vincent Keymer | Germany | 4 |
| 14 | Jorden Van Foreest | Netherlands | 4 |
| 14 | Rasmus Svane | Germany | 4 |
| 17 | Leinier Dominguez Perez | USA | 4 |
| 17 | M. Amin Tabatabaei | Iran | 4 |
| 17 | M Pranesh | India | 4 |
| 20 | Fabiano Caruana | USA | 4 |
What’s Next At The Grenke Chess Festival
With four rounds of the Grenke Chess Festival remaining, Magnus Carlsen aims to maintain his winning streak. The next rounds will feature key matchups and determine the winner on 21 April, who will also secure a spot at July’s Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in New York.
Also Read: Magnus Carlsen, World Number 1 Wins The Freestyle Chess Tour Paris Leg
