Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov made a spectacular start at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025, claiming a series of victories over some of the world’s strongest players and leading the standings after the first day.
The final stage of the tournament began in Cape Town on December 8 and will run until December 11, featuring the world’s top grandmasters. The total prize fund is $660,000.
Sindarov impressed on the opening day with wins over Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Parham Maghsoodloo and Hans Moke Niemann, propelling him into sole leadership.
In the seventh round, he drew with Levon Aronian, maintaining his top spot and securing the title of best performer of the day.
