Overview

• Levon Aronian defeated Hans Moke Niemann 1.5-0.5 in Sunday’s final to secure the Las Vegas leg championship and earn $200,000.
• Magnus Carlsen rallied through the lower bracket to beat Hikaru Nakamura 1.5-0.5 in the third-place playoff for a $100,000 prize.
• Indian grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa reached the knockout stage but finished sixth and seventh, taking home $40,000 and $30,000 respectively.
• A viral clip showed Carlsen remaining silent as Niemann accepted his runner-up trophy before warmly applauding Aronian, underscoring their persistent rivalry.
• The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour now moves on to the E-Sports World Cup in Riyadh, with subsequent stops scheduled in Chennai and St. Louis.