Freestyle Chess to undergo major format overhaul thanks to Magnus Carlsen and his father

Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour is set to introduce shorter time controls and a condensed five-day format in the next event. The changes have been suggested by Magnus Carlsen and his father, revealed co-founder Jan Henric Buettner.

Big changes are in the line for the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, with the upcoming event set to adopt a shorter time control. The tour’s co-founder, Jan Henric Buettner, announced the new format during the official broadcast of the ongoing Paris leg. He also said that the idea was floated by former world champion
Magnus Carlsen and his father, Henrik Carlsen.

Buettner confirmed that the next Freestyle event will feature 45-minute games with a 10-second increment per move, replacing the current 90-minute games with a 30-second increment seen in the Paris leg of the tournament. Buettner said that this adjustment has been implemented at Carlsen and his father’s suggestion.

“Magnus said basically that they, as players, have gained so much in terms of quality that they do not need the 90 minutes anymore. He said they can go with 45-minute games. So that is kind of the decision of Magnus, and I talked to some other players before to see that we have not only Magnus but everybody on board,” Buettner said.

Continue Reading on FIRSTPOST