Niemann Given Surprise Paris Freestyle Wildcard, Set To Face Carlsen

In a surprising move, GM Hans Niemann has been given a wildcard for the next leg of the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Paris, setting up a likely showdown against GM Magnus Carlsen.

The announcement was made in a press release shortly after the Finals of the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam began on Thursday.

Niemann secured his spot by winning the massive 935-player 2024 Grenke Chess Open with an impressive 8/9 score. That victory originally qualified the 21-year-old for the Grenke Chess Classic, the prestigious invitational that ran alongside the Open, won by Carlsen in 2015, 2019, and 2024.

However, the tournament format has been revamped for 2025, replacing the Classic and Open with two major open events scheduled for April 17-21 in Karlsruhe, Germany. Both will be played at classical chess time controls (90 minutes for all moves, with a 30-second increment from move one) with three rating groups:

• Grenke Freestyle Chess Open: 9-round Swiss Freestyle/Chess960 event with a €225,000 (around $235,000) prize fund. Both Carlsen and GM Vincent Keymer (the winner of the Grenke Open as a 13-year-old in 2018) have confirmed their participation, while GM Levon Aronian also said during live commentary that he'll play. The winner qualifies for the New York Freestyle Chess Grand Slam and also earns 25 tour points, with one point for 10th place. Full regulations.
• Grenke Chess Open, the traditional 9-round Swiss with a €70,000 (around $73,000) prize fund. Full regulations.

Players who participate in the Grenke Chess Open are also able to switch to the Freestyle Chess Open up until the 5th round and keep the points they have earned so far.

Since the Classic is not taking place, Freestyle Chess CEO Jan Henric Buettner has decided to invite Niemann for the next stage of the Grand Slam, which takes place in Paris, April 8-15.

"We are very pleased about the cooperation," said GM Sebastian Siebrecht, Chief Chess Officer of Freestyle Chess. "With the Open, we are able to make the Freestyle Grand Slam accessible to a wide audience. Every player has the chance to compete against the best and qualify for one of the major events in our series."

The 21-year-old U.S. grandmaster expressed his gratitude in a post on X.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to compete in the Freestyle Paris edition. Winning the Grenke Open last year was an incredible experience, and I am eager to return to the Freestyle/Grenke Open. No matter what opportunities come my way, I will continue to let my chess…

— Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) February 13, 2025

The prospect of another Carlsen-Niemann clash carries added intrigue given their turbulent history that dates back to the 2022 Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis. In response to Carlsen's alleged cheating accusations, Niemann filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit, which was ultimately dismissed by a U.S. court.

The dispute was later settled privately, allowing the two players to return to over-the-board competition. Despite the legal resolution, tensions between them have remained high. Carlsen got the upper hand in their battles last year, defeating Niemann 17.5-12.5 in their first meeting in the 2024 Speed Chess Championship in Paris, then eliminating him from the 2024 World Blitz Championship in New York.

Buettner’s decision to invite Niemann is particularly noteworthy given his close ties to Carlsen. The wealthy German businessman is a key partner in the Freestyle Chess project and was among the select guests at Carlsen’s wedding in Oslo earlier this year. 

"We are here for the drama. We are marketing drama," Buettner candidly told Norwegian broadcaster TV 2. "Magnus doesn't know it yet, but I will tell him after the game. I chose not to ask him for permission," he said while interviewed during the Finals on Thursday, adding:

"Magnus has no say in which players to invite. He chose the first players last year. During the event, there are players he is more or less comfortable with. That's why I decided not to ask him for permission."

Magnus has no say in which players to invite. He chose the first players last year. During the event, there are players he is more or less comfortable with. That's why I decided not to ask him for permission.

—Jan Henric Buettner, CEO of Freestyle Chess

For Niemann, the invite is an opportunity to face the elite in Freestyle Chess after he came very close to qualifying through Chess.com's Weissenhaus Play-In in January.

Hans Niemann blunders mate-in-1 and Ian Nepomniachtchi is in the Semifinals! #FreestyleChess pic.twitter.com/QGAVNKNi3P

— chess24 (@chess24com) January 7, 2025

The complete field in Paris is yet to be finalized. According to the regulations of the Grand Slam, the top three players in the Weissenhaus will qualify, in addition to the three highest-ranked players in a given month before the next leg. That means a spot for Carlsen in Paris is guaranteed, regardless of whether he wins the match against GM Javokhir Sindarov for third place.

"It is what it is. I have no further comment on that now," he told TV 2. When TV 2 asked whether Carlsen is looking forward to the match, he was cryptic: "No. But we'll see."