SA is about to make chess history! In December, eight of the world’s best players, including legends like Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer, and Arjun Erigaisi, will gather in the Western Cape for the first-ever Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Final!
Western Cape, South Africa (12 November 2025) – The world’s biggest chess champions will be making their way to the West Coast next month, marking the first Grand Slam ever to take place on African soil.
From 8-11 December 2025, eight of the world’s best grandmasters will compete for the title and honour of being crowned Freestyle Chess Champion 2025. The event will take place at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve.
Freestyle Chess (or Chess960) is reshaping the way the world thinks about the game. Randomising the starting positions of the pieces forces players to think on their feet instead of relying on memorised openings.
“[Freestyle Chess] has brought back the feeling of pure discovery – you never know the position, you have to think and create,” says Carlson, Freestyle Chess co-founder and world chess champion. “To finish the tour in such a spectacular setting feels right.”
Hosted in partnership with Chess South Africa, the event will not only bring world-class competition to local shores but also highlight SA’s growing chess culture.
More than 20 chess clubs from Cape Town will be involved in celebrating and promoting the tournament, with public viewing sessions and live commentary planned in the city during the event.
Before the finals begin at Grootbos, Cape Town will set the tone by hosting an Underwater Chess Exhibition at the Silo Hotel on 4 December. Players will literally dive into their opening moves in a version of ‘Diving Chess,’ guided by Etan Ilfeld, the inventor of the underwater sport, and attended by Michal Mazurkiewicz, the reigning world champion.
While the final tournament itself will be closed to the public due to the Grootbos’ exclusivity, fans will be able to tune in through livestream – tickets (not yet available) can be purchased here.
“It’s a privilege to host the world’s best players on our soil. Chess South Africa appreciates the spirit of collaboration and the opportunity this brings to our local clubs and fans,” shares Andre Lewaks, President of Chess South Africa.
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