Levon Aronian started his trip to South Africa’s Grootbos losing to a streamer, but ended up winning the South Africa leg of Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour with an undefeated run to the title. Aronian’s victory over world no 1 Magnus Carlsen in the final in South Africa wrapped up the first season of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. Carlsen had already wrapped up the overall Tour title at the South Africa event a few days before he made it to the final at Grootbos.
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Before the tournament started, Aronian was playing against a streamer who goes by the handle “Witty_Alien” on YouTube where the opponent tried a Martian Gambit versus Aronian. There he beat Aronian in an exhibition event which led to the veteran American grandmaster having some self doubts.
“I came here without real expectations because I played at the FIDE World Cup earlier where some games were good but I wasn’t so sure that I’m in a good shape. And here (in Grootbos, South Africa) it started with some simuls. I was playing terrible there and started to wonder about everything. Then I lost against one of the streamers,” Aronian told ChessBase India in an interview. “Somehow I couldn’t get about those shows (exhibition games), you know? Back in the day, I used to be like more concerned with my image: not losing against streamers or in a simuls somehow. Now I don’t care.”
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WATCH: Streamer plays Martian Gambit versus Levon Aronian
But when the actual event started, the American grandmaster went on a tear, claiming the title without a single defeat for four days of competition.
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“With age you start differentiating what’s important and what’s not. Then when the tournament started I felt that I actually am in good shape,” the American grandmaster added.
The title wraps up what has been a great year for the legendary Armenian-turned-American player. Aronian won the first game against Carlsen and held on to a draw in the second to seal the title.
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The title means that Aronian walks away $2,00,000 (approximately Rs 1.8 crore) richer.
Behind Aronian and Carlsen, Germany’s Vincent Keymer claimed third place after defeating Javokhir Sindarov, who will end fourth fresh on the heels of winning the FIDE World Cup in Goa. Fabiano Caruana secured fifth place with a 1.5–0.5 victory over Arjun Erigaisi. In the match for seventh place, Hans Niemann completed a comeback by beating Parham Maghsoodloo in the tiebreaks.