Levon Aronian captured his first Freestyle Chess Grand Slam crown on Sunday at Wynn Las Vegas, defeating Hans Niemann 1.5-0.5 in the Grand Final. The 42-year-old, who earlier in the week knocked out both Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, sealed the title – and the $200,000 first prize – by converting a dominant second game after an opening draw.

Niemann came close to his biggest career win but had to settle for the runner-up spot and $140,000.

The penultimate day of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas ended with Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura set to meet in Sunday’s third-place match – a repeat of their showdown in the Paris Grand Slam final, though this time with $75,000 and the last podium spot at stake rather than the title.

With Hans Niemann and Levon Aronian already through to the $200,000 Grand Final, the Wynn Las Vegas ballroom focused on the Lower Bracket battles today. Four players – Carlsen, Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu – began the day chasing a route back to the podium.

The penultimate day of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas ended with Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura set to meet in Sunday’s third-place match – a repeat of their showdown in the Paris Grand Slam final, though this time with $75,000 and the last podium spot at stake rather than the title.

With Hans Niemann and Levon Aronian already through to the $200,000 Grand Final, the Wynn Las Vegas ballroom focused on the Lower Bracket battles today. Four players – Carlsen, Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu – began the day chasing a route back to the podium.

The first Freestyle Chess Grand Slam on U.S. soil will crown a new champion. Hans Niemann and Levon Aronian both won their semifinal matches on Friday at the Wynn Las Vegas, setting up an all-American Grand Final on Sunday with a $200,000 first prize at stake. Neither player has claimed a Grand Slam title before.

Niemann, who had said earlier this week, “I really immersed myself into Freestyle,” proved it on the board. After two tense draws in classical play against Fabiano Caruana, he survived a scare in the first rapid tiebreaker. In the second, he broke through with a clinical attack to clinch the match 2½:1½.

Aronian, who had already knocked out tour leader and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura this week, continued his run by defeating Arjun Erigaisi 2:0, winning both classical games without needing tiebreaks.

The first Freestyle Chess Grand Slam on U.S. soil will crown a new champion. Hans Niemann and Levon Aronian both won their semifinal matches on Friday at the Wynn Las Vegas, setting up an all-American Grand Final on Sunday with a $200,000 first prize at stake. Neither player has claimed a Grand Slam title before.

Niemann, who had said earlier this week, “I really immersed myself into Freestyle,” proved it on the board. After two tense draws in classical play against Fabiano Caruana, he survived a scare in the first rapid tiebreaker. In the second, he broke through with a clinical attack to clinch the match 2½:1½.

Aronian, who had already knocked out tour leader and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura this week, continued his run by defeating Arjun Erigaisi 2:0, winning both classical games without needing tiebreaks.