Carlsen wins the first edition of the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Challenge

17/02/2024 – Although he has relinquished the royal crown in classical cadence (which is mostly played on a tie-break basis in rapid games…), the world’s No. 1 player demonstrated, after his blitz and rapid titles at the end of 2023 following a third consecutive victory in the Champions Chess Tour (online tournaments), that he dominates chess whatever the formula by winning the first top-level Fischer chess tournament played on a slow cadence. Alireza Firouzja took 5th place, automatically qualifying for next year’s tournament. It’s worth noting that Ding Liren, the reigning world champion in cadence and classical games (a title he won in fast cadence…), finished with a miserable +0 =3 -10! The three draws were obtained either when there was nothing left at stake (last round of the fast section against Firouzja), or when the draw qualified his opponent (¼-final return against Abdusattorov; ½-final low pool against Firouzja).