Grenke Chess Festival

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Logo in 2024 Grenke Chess Open & Classic logo.svg
Logo in 2024

The Grenke Chess Festival is an annual chess event held in the German cities of Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden and sponsored by Grenke AG. [1] The Grenke Chess Classic was a strong closed tournament first held in 2013, which featured many of the world's top players. Since 2016, an Open tournament has been held concurrently, with the winner qualifying for the subsequent Classic tournament. [2] In 2020, the Festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] It returned in 2024 after a five-year hiatus, with the Classic tournament featuring a new rapid time control (45+10). [4] In 2025, the Classic tournament was discontinued, and a new Grenke Freestyle Chess Open was announced in partnership with the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. [5] [6] [7]

Contents

Winners

#YearClassicOpenFreestyle Open
12013Flag of India.svg  Viswanathan Anand  (India)
22014Flag of Germany.svg  Arkadij Naiditsch  (Germany)
32015Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)
42016Not held.Flag of Germany.svg  Matthias Blübaum  (Germany)
52017Flag of Armenia.svg  Levon Aronian  (Armenia)Flag of Russia.svg  Nikita Vitiugov  (Russia)
62018Flag of the United States.svg  Fabiano Caruana  (United States)Flag of Germany.svg  Vincent Keymer  (Germany)
72019Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)Flag of Germany.svg  Daniel Fridman  (Germany)
2020–2023Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
82024Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)Flag of the United States.svg  Hans Niemann  (United States)
92025Cancelled.Flag of India.svg  Aswath S  (India)Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)

Editions

2013

Classic

Six players participated in the first edition of Grenke Chess. The winner was Viswanathan Anand ahead of Fabiano Caruana; they scored 6.5 and 6 out of 10, respectively. [8]

1st Grenke Chess Classic, 7–17 February 2013, Baden-Baden, Germany, Category XIX (2714)
Player Rating 123456TotalWins TPR
1Flag of India.svg  Viswanathan Anand  (India)2780½ ½½ ½½ ½1 1½ 12811
2Flag of Italy.svg  Fabiano Caruana  (Italy)2757½ ½Does not appear1 ½½ 01 1½ ½62778
3Flag of Germany.svg  Georg Meier  (Germany)2640½ ½0 ½Does not appear½ ½0 1½ 1522729
4Flag of England.svg  Michael Adams  (England)2725½ ½½ 1½ ½Does not appear0 ½½ ½512712
5Flag of Germany.svg  Arkadij Naiditsch  (Germany)27160 00 01 01 ½Does not appear½ 142642
6Flag of Germany.svg  Daniel Fridman  (Germany)2667½ 0½ ½½ 0½ ½½ 0Does not appear2614

2014

Classic

Arkadij Naiditsch, the highest-rated German chess player, won the 2014 edition of Grenke Chess Classic ahead of David Baramidze. [9] This edition was not a supertournament, but rather a national competition; all eight participants were German. It was a single Round-robin tournament, and two spots were provided for the players to win entry into the next edition of 2015.

2nd Grenke Chess Classic, 6–12 September 2014, Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Category XV (2609)
PlayerTitleClub Rating 12345678TotalWinsBlackH2H TPR
1Flag of Germany.svg  Arkadij Naiditsch  (Germany) GM OSG Baden-Baden 2715½½1011152752
2Flag of Germany.svg  David Baramidze  (Germany)GM SV Hockenheim 2599½Does not appear01½½1½422661
3Flag of Germany.svg  Daniel Fridman  (Germany)GM Mülheim-Nord 1931 2633½1Does not appear½½½½½412656
4Flag of Germany.svg  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu  (Germany)GM OSG Baden-Baden 267200½Does not appear1½1½2012600
5Flag of Germany.svg  Matthias Blübaum  (Germany) IM SV Werder Bremen 25211½½0Does not appear0½12002622
6Flag of Germany.svg  Georg Meier  (Germany)GM OSG Baden-Baden 26520½½½1Does not appear½½12603
7Flag of Germany.svg  Dennis Wagner  (Germany)IM SV Hockenheim 249900½0½½Does not appear12523
8Flag of Germany.svg  Philipp Schlosser  (Germany)GM OSG Baden-Baden 25820½½½0½0Does not appear22455

2015

Classic

The tournament was played between 2–9 February 2015. With an average rating of 2752, it was the strongest edition of Grenke Chess in its history. [10] [ verification needed ] Among the participants were Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Viswanathan Anand and Levon Aronian. The winner was Magnus Carlsen, who eventually won a five-game tiebreak with Arkadij Naiditsch with a score of 3–2 (two rapid, two blitz and one armageddon game). [11] [12]

3rd Grenke Chess Classic, 2–9 February 2015, Baden-Baden, Germany, Category XX (2750)
Player Rating 12345678Total TB Wins TPR
1Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)286501½½½1132835
2Flag of Germany.svg  Arkadij Naiditsch  (Germany)27061Does not appear½½½½½122858
3Flag of England.svg  Michael Adams  (England)27380½Does not appear½½½11422802
4Flag of Italy.svg  Fabiano Caruana  (Italy)2811½½½Does not appear1½½½412791
5Flag of Armenia.svg  Levon Aronian  (Armenia)2777½½½0Does not appear½1½12746
6Flag of France.svg  Étienne Bacrot  (France)2711½½½½½Does not appear½½02755
7Flag of India.svg  Viswanathan Anand  (India)27970½0½0½Does not appear12641
8Flag of Germany.svg  David Baramidze  (Germany)2594000½½½0Does not appear2544
Notes

2016

Open

The 2016 open tournament (section A) was won by Matthias Blübaum with a score of 7½/9. Blübaum thus qualified for the Grenke Chess Classic 2017. [15]

2017

Classic

The 2017 tournament took place from 15 to 22 April in Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden. [16]

4th Grenke Chess Classic, 15–22 April 2017, KarlsruheBaden-Baden, Germany, Category XX (2730)
Player Rating 12345678TotalWinsBlackH2H TPR
1Flag of Armenia.svg  Levon Aronian  (Armenia)2774½½1111½42953
2Flag of the United States.svg  Fabiano Caruana  (United States)2817½Does not appear½10½½1422767
3Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)2838½½Does not appear½½½½1412764
4Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Arkadij Naiditsch  (Azerbaijan)270200½Does not appear½11½222733
5Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Hou Yifan  (China)264901½½Does not appear0½1212741
6Flag of France.svg  Maxime Vachier-Lagrave  (France)28030½½01Does not appear1½202719
7Flag of Germany.svg  Matthias Blübaum  (Germany)26340½½0½0Does not appear½200½2585
8Flag of Germany.svg  Georg Meier  (Germany)2621½00½0½½Does not appear200½2587

Open

The 2017 open tournament (section A) was won by Nikita Vitiugov with a score of 7½/9. [17] He thus qualified for the Grenke Chess Classic 2018.

2018

Classic

5th Grenke Chess Classic, 31 March – 9 April 2018, KarlsruheBaden-Baden, Germany, Category XX (2736)
Player Rating 12345678910TotalWinsBlackH2H TPR
1Flag of the United States.svg  Fabiano Caruana  (United States)2784½11½½1½½1432896
2Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)2843½Does not appear½½½½1½1½212803
3Flag of France.svg  Maxime Vachier-Lagrave  (France)27890½Does not appear½½½½11½521½2772
4Flag of Russia.svg  Nikita Vitiugov  (Russia)27350½½Does not appear½1½½½1521½2778
5Flag of Armenia.svg  Levon Aronian  (Armenia)2794½½½½Does not appear½1½½½5102772
6Flag of Germany.svg  Matthias Blübaum  (Germany)2631½½½0½Does not appear½1½½102747
7Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Arkadij Naiditsch  (Azerbaijan)270100½½0½Does not appear½½1112659
8Flag of India.svg  Viswanathan Anand  (India)2776½½0½½0½Does not appear½½00½2651
9Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Hou Yifan  (China)2654½00½½½½½Does not appear½00½2664
10Flag of Germany.svg  Georg Meier  (Germany)26480½½0½½0½½Does not appear3002620

The tiebreaks were as follows: 1) number of wins; 2) number of black wins; 3) head-to-head. [18] [19]

Open

The 2018 open tournament (section A) was won by 13-year-old IM Vincent Keymer with a score of 8/9, who also achieved a grandmaster norm in the process. [20] [21] He thus qualified for the Grenke Chess Classic 2019. [22]

2019

Classic

6th Grenke Chess Classic, 20–29 April 2019, KarlsruheBaden-Baden, Germany, Category XIX (2724)
Player Rating 12345678910TotalWinsBlackH2H TPR
1Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)2845½½11½11112983
2Flag of the United States.svg  Fabiano Caruana  (United States)2819½Does not appear1½½½½½1162838
3Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Arkadij Naiditsch  (Azerbaijan)2695½0Does not appear½01½½11532770
4Flag of France.svg  Maxime Vachier-Lagrave  (France)27730½½Does not appear½½½½11522761
5Flag of Russia.svg  Peter Svidler  (Russia)27350½1½Does not appear½0½1½21½2722
6Flag of India.svg  Viswanathan Anand  (India)2774½½0½½Does not appear½10121½2718
7Flag of Armenia.svg  Levon Aronian  (Armenia)27630½½½1½Does not appear½½½12719
8Flag of Spain.svg  Francisco Vallejo Pons  (Spain)26930½½½½0½Does not appear½142693
9Flag of Germany.svg  Georg Meier  (Germany)2628000001½½Does not appear02112514
10Flag of Germany.svg  Vincent Keymer  (Germany)25160000½0½01Does not appear2102527

Open

The 2019 open tournament (section A) was won by Daniel Fridman with a score of 7½/9. Fridman thus qualified for the next edition of the Grenke Chess Classic, which wasn't held until 2024.

2020–2023

The 2020 edition was cancelled on short notice due to COVID-19 pandemic, which continued to prevent the event from being held in subsequent years until 2024. [3] [23]

2024

Classic

The tournament returned in 2024 after a five-year hiatus. For the first time, the tournament was played in a rapid time control (45+10) instead of the former classical time control. [4] The format was also changed into a double round-robin tournament (2 games with reversed colors against each player), followed by playoffs to decide places 1, 3 and 5. Magnus Carlsen won the tournament. [24]

7th Grenke Chess Classic, 26–31 March 2024, KarlsruheBaden-Baden, Cat. XIX (2724)
Player Rating 123456Total
1Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)2823Does not appear0 1½ ½1 1½ ½1 17
2Flag of Hungary.svg  Richárd Rapport  (Hungary)27081 0Does not appear0 ½½ 1½ 11 ½6
3Flag of France.svg  Maxime Vachier-Lagrave  (France)2755½ ½1 ½Does not appear½ ½½ ½0 ½5
4Flag of Germany.svg  Vincent Keymer  (Germany)26270 0½ 0½ ½Does not appear½ 1½ ½4
5Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Ding Liren  (China)2818½ ½½ 0½ ½½ 0Does not appear½ ½4
6Flag of Germany.svg  Daniel Fridman  (Germany)25750 00 ½1 ½½ ½½ ½Does not appear4
4th-place tiebreaker
Player Rating 123Total
4Flag of Germany.svg  Vincent Keymer  (Germany)2627Does not appear½ 11 -2.5
5Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Ding Liren  (China)2818½ 0Does not appear0 11.5
6Flag of Germany.svg  Daniel Fridman  (Germany)25750 -1 0Does not appear1
Match for 5th place
Player Rating 12Total
5Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Ding Liren  (China)28181½1.5
6Flag of Germany.svg  Daniel Fridman  (Germany)25750½0.5
Match for 3rd place
Player Rating 12B1B2Total
3Flag of France.svg  Maxime Vachier-Lagrave  (France)2755½½½12.5
4Flag of Germany.svg  Vincent Keymer  (Germany)2627½½½01.5
Match for 1st place
Player Rating 12Total
1Flag of Norway.svg  Magnus Carlsen  (Norway)28231½1.5
2Flag of Hungary.svg  Richárd Rapport  (Hungary)27080½0.5

Open

The 2024 open tournament (section A) was won by Hans Niemann with a score of 8/9. Niemann thus qualified for the Grenke Chess Classic 2025. Since that edition was cancelled following the announcement of a new Freestyle open, he was invited to the Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam to compensate for the lost invite. [25] However, he later withdrew from that event due to personal reasons. [26]

2025

Freestyle Open

The 2025 Freestyle (Chess960) open tournament (section A) was won by Magnus Carlsen with a perfect score of 9/9. [27] Parham Maghsoodloo finished second on tiebreaks and qualified for the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, since Carlsen had already qualified. [28]

Open

The 2025 regular open tournament (section A) was won by 17-year-old IM Aswath S with a score of 8/9, who earned his maiden grandmaster norm in the process. [29] [27]

References

  1. Fischer, Johannes (15 September 2014). "Arkadij Naiditsch wins Grenke Chess Classic". ChessBase. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  2. Goran (13 April 2017). "GRENKE Chess Classic 2017 – Chessdom" . Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  3. 1 2 "GRENKE Chess Open 2020 is cancelled". ChessBase. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  4. 1 2 McGourty, Colin (2 February 2024). "Carlsen, Ding To Clash As GRENKE Chess Classic Returns". Chess.com.
  5. "Cooperation Freestyle Chess and grenke Chess Open". ChessBase. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  6. "Grenke Freestyle Chess Open and Grenke Chess Open 2025". Freestyle Chess. 14 February 2025. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  7. Ketterer, Frank (11 April 2025). "In Karlsruhe können sich Schach-Amateure mit der Weltelite messen". Badische Neueste Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  8. "Grenke Chess Classic 2013 - Paarungen & Tabelle". Grenkechessclassic.de. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  9. "Grenke Chess Classic 2014 - Paarungen & Tabelle". Grenkechessclassic.com. 8 January 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  10. "Grenke Chess Classic 2015 - GRENKE Chess Classic Baden-Baden 2015". Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  11. "Grenke Chess Classic Tournament 2015". Chess Games. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  12. "Grenke Chess Classic 2015 - Pairings & standings". Grenkechessclassic.de. 9 February 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  13. Crowther, Mark (2 February 2015). "3rd GRENKE Chess Classic 2015". The Week in Chess. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  14. "Top 100 Players February 2015 – Archive". FIDE Online.
  15. Souleidis, Georgios (28 March 2016). "Matthias Blübaum gewinnt GRENKE Chess Open". Chessbase (in German). Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  16. "Grenke Chess Classic 2017". Archived from the original on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  17. "GRENKE Chess Open 2017". 365Chess.com. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  18. Grenke Chess Classic 2018 at Chess24
  19. "Grenke Chess Classic 2018 - Pairings & standings". Grenkechessclassic.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  20. "Ergebnisse 3. GRENKE Chess Open". Ergebnisse.grenkechessopen.de. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  21. Doggers, Peter (2 April 2018). "13-Year-Old Keymer Wins Grenke Open Ahead Of 49 GMs". Chess.com. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  22. "Vincent Keymer wins GRENKE Chess Open 2018! - GRENKE Chess Open". Grenkechessopen.de. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  23. "The Grenke Classic returns, with Carlsen and Ding in the lineup". ChessBase. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  24. McGourty, Colin (31 March 2024). "Carlsen Wins Round-Robin As Ding Suffers".
  25. "Cooperation Freestyle Chess and grenke Chess Open". ChessBase. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  26. Gustavsen, Johannes (5 April 2025). "Niemann trekker seg fra Carlsen-turnering: - Lukter ugler i mosen". TV 2 (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  27. 1 2 Busse, Michael (22 April 2025). "Magnus Carlsen und Aswath S sind die Sieger des grenke Schachfestivals". Grenke Chess Festival (in German). Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  28. Levin, Anthony (21 April 2025). "Grenke Chess Freestyle Open 2025 Day 5: Carlsen Wins With Shining 9/9 Perfect Score". Chess.com. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  29. Ahmed, Shahid (23 April 2025). "Aswath wins big at Grenke Open 2025 with a 2779 performance - ChessBase India". ChessBase India. Retrieved 23 April 2025.