The Grenke Freestyle Chess Open 2025 marks a revolutionary step in the chess world. It started on 17 April and is a part of the Grenke Chess Festival, which is now the largest chess gathering globally with over 3,000 participants, including many of the world’s top grandmasters. The festival introduces a unique dual-tournament format: the Grenke Freestyle Chess Open featuring shuffled starting positions, and then the classic Grenke Chess Open.
What truly sets it apart is the ability of players to switch between the classic and freestyle tournaments up to round 5 without losing points. This approach allows players to experience both traditional and freestyle chess in a single event, polishing them in both formats. The event features chess legends like Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Arjun Erigiasi competing for a massive prize pool of €225,000.
Top 10 Seeds At The Grenke Freestyle Chess Open
| Title | Name | Country | Rating |
| GM | Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2837 |
| GM | Fabiano Caruana | USA | 2776 |
| GM | Arjun Erigaisi | IND | 2782 |
| GM | Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2757 |
| GM | Wesley So | USA | 2748 |
| GM | Levon Aronian | USA | 2747 |
| GM | Leinier Dominguez Perez | USA | 2738 |
| GM | Le Quang Liem | VIE | 2729 |
| GM | Hans Moke Niemann | USA | 2736 |
| GM | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | AZE | 2748 |
Schedule Of The Grenke Freestyle Chess Open
| Round | Date | Time (Local) |
| 1 | April 17 | 18:30 |
| 2 | April 18 | 10:00 |
| 3 | April 18 | 16:00 |
| 4 | April 19 | 10:00 |
| 5 | April 19 | 16:00 |
| 6 | April 20 | 10:00 |
| 7 | April 20 | 16:00 |
| 8 | April 21 | 10:00 |
| 9 | April 21 | 16:00 |
Prize And Points Distribution Of The Grenke Freestyle Chess Open
| Place | Prize | Points |
| 1st | €60,000 | 25 |
| 2nd | €40,000 | 18 |
| 3rd | €30,000 | 15 |
| 4th | €20,000 | 12 |
| 5th | €15,000 | 10 |
| 6th | €12,000 | 8 |
| 7th | €10,000 | 6 |
| 8th | €8,000 | 4 |
| 9th | €5,000 | 2 |
| 10th | €3,000 | 1 |
| 11th | €2,000 | — |
| 12th | €1,000 | — |
| 13th | €500 | — |
| 14th | €300 | — |
| 15th | €200 | — |
Also Read: All You Need To Know About Ju Wenjun vs Tan Zhongyi Ft. Women’s World Chess Championship
