World number one chess player Magnus Carlsen gave a historic display by ending with a perfect 9/9 score at the Grenke Chess Freestyle Open 2025. This unprecedented feat, achieved on Monday, has sparked renewed comparisons with American chess great Bobby Fischer, who recorded 11/11 at the 1963-64 US Championship.
Victory Sealed Before Final Round
Carlsen had already won the title in the eighth round, but he went on to push even further to record the ideal finish. Fans and analysts were impressed with the Norwegian Grandmaster for this unprecedented achievement in the classical time control format — testifying to his dominance and consistency at the top level.
Significantly, Carlsen had earlier posted nine in a row in the 2023 SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia event, but those wins were in the shorter Blitz time control. The win in the more challenging classical format gives his expanding legacy another layer.
‘It Feels Amazing,’ Says Carlsen
Carlsen himself declared his own surprise after the victory, saying, “It’s amazing. I have never done that in classical chess, or in any variation and it’s not gonna happen again. It feels great.”
His comment was quoted in a post-tournament video by ChessBase India, reliving the thrill of chess enthusiasts around the world.
Tournament Format Adds to the Challenge
The Grenke Freestyle Open was played in the Freestyle Chess (Chess960) style, where piece starting positions are randomly varied. This restricts traditional opening preparation and rewards pure skill and flexibility, making Carlsen’s 9/9 even more remarkable.
During the tournament, Carlsen had tough competition. While only one of his opponents, Vincent Keymer, had a rating over 2700 Elo, he beat five opponents rated between 2600 and 2700.
Historical Context: Other 9/9 Results in Chess
Though Carlsen’s record was unique in terms of the strength of the field and the format, comparable clean sweeps have been obtained in recent chess history. For instance, American Grandmaster Karen Grigoryan registered a 9/9 result at the 2019 VII Torneio Internacional Cidade de Famalicão. French Woman Grandmaster Andreaa Navrotescu registered the same at the Menchik Memorial Challengers Tournament 2024 in London.
Even so, Carlsen’s position and the traditional time format of Grenke make this victory one of the most enduring in contemporary chess.
Arjun Erigaisi Among Las Vegas Contenders
Though Carlsen has already secured a spot in the Las Vegas event of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 by emerging victorious in the Paris event previously, his win at Grenke provided an opening for other contestants.
Seven players tied for second place at the Grenke Open, each earning 7 points:
Leinier Dominguez, Fabiano Caruana, Andrey Esipenko, Alexey Sarana, Parham Maghsoodloo, Frederik Svane, and India’s Arjun Erigaisi.
These seven players will participate in a tiebreaker event to decide who will secure a place at the Las Vegas tournament. The date and format of the tiebreaker have not been released yet.
Legacy Cemented with Another Historic Feat
Carlsen’s latest success only adds to his standing as one of all time’s greatest chess players. Though most experts have long been fawning over his dominance, the 9/9 at Grenke might be a peak even in a career full of milestones.
The world of chess now looks on for Carlsen’s next move — both literally and metaphorically — as he continues to stretch the boundaries of the game.
