The main series begins on the picturesque Baltic coast in Weissenhaus! A week full of freestyle action, paired with the breathtaking backdrop of the coast.
Armageddon showdown at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam qualifier
Vladimir Fedoseev clinches the final spot
A nail-biting finale for the coveted seat in WEISSENHAUS
Vladimir Fedoseev is the tenth participant in the first leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025. At the end of a five-day qualification, Fedoseev defeated Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov in a dramatic final decided by Armageddon. From 7 February, Fedoseev will compete in WEISSENHAUS against chess legends like Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Viswanathan Anand.
His victory in a knockout event packed with world-class players came as no surprise. The 29-year-old is known as a creative thinker who carves his own path in chess, favoring innovation over convention. Freestyle suits him perfectly, a variant he describes as his favorite and the one in which he believes he performs best.
Now he is eager to prove just that. “I will enjoy this opportunity to play classical chess in the freestyle format,” said Fedoseev after his final victory. In the company of the world’s elite, he promised, “I will do my best.”
After five days of open qualification, Vladimir Fedoseev did it!
The qualification process began with two open tournaments, allowing untitled players to throw their hats into the ring. The top three from each event advanced to the Swiss system competition. This stage, held on the third day, was open to all title holders. The top four finishers from the Swiss tournament secured spots in the knockout round.
Two members of the Freestyle Chess Players Club (FCPC) were among the 248 players competing in the Swiss tournament. Aravindh Chitambaram, who recently joined the club after his latest Elo surge, and Alexander Grischuk finished in 63rd and 39th place respectively after nine rounds, underscoring the strength of the competition.
Several great minds of the chess world fell short, including the new Rapid World Champion Volodar Murzin. Whether it was Chess960 specialist David Navara, former World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov, or Freestyle commentator Niclas Huschenbeth, many grandmasters failed to advance.
Vladimir Fedoseev, Denis Lazavik, Javokhir Sindarov, and Oleksandr Bortnyk made it through. They joined twelve FCPC members who were automatically qualified for the knockout round. As the sole tournament winner with 8/9, Fedoseev had already shown he was a force to be reckoned with.
He carried this momentum into the knockout round. With four wins from four games, he advanced effortlessly to the semi-finals, where he defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi in a blitz tiebreak. Sindarov, not considered one of the favorites, also reached the final without a single defeat.
In the final, one of the two undefeated players had to lose, and that happened in the very first game to – Fedoseev! Javokhir Sindarov demonstrated his prowess early on, reminding everyone of his dangerous skills and the 2:1 record he held against Fedoseev in previous tournament games. Afterward, Fedoseev acknowledged, “Javokhir is one of the youngest grandmasters in the world and perhaps one of the most talented players around. Our brief conversations after the games convinced me that he has skills I don’t possess. I have great respect for him.”
Despite the respect, now Fedoseev was under pressure to win. In the second game, he created enough problems for Sindarov to run out of time. Under clock pressure, Sindarov missed a brilliant saving move that could have secured him the match, and it was over.
Two blitz games followed, both ending in draws, highlighting the equal mastery of both players. But a winner was needed – Armageddon! With a bid of 4 minutes and 16 seconds, Fedoseev secured the black pieces. Sindarov, having bid 4 minutes and 31 seconds, now needed a win with White, while Fedoseev only needed a draw.
Fedoseev gained an early advantage with a tactical trick that won him a pawn. However, he squandered the lead and ended up in a rook vs. queen endgame. Usually a lost position, Fedoseev’s defense held firm as Sindarov’s clock dwindled to just 10 seconds. Unable to convert his material advantage, Sindarov’s time eventually ran out.
It was a bitter blow for Javokhir Sindarov, who delivered a stellar performance over three grueling days, only to fall just short of his goal. Fedoseev’s joy and relief were unmistakable. With a clenched fist, he celebrated his hard-earned success and secured his ticket to the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.
The ten participants of the WEISSENHAUS tournament in February.
