The week of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals in South Africa kicked off with an underwater chess exhibition match. American Hans Niemann defeated Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov.
The “diving chess” format was created in 2012 by London-based inventor Etan Ilfeld. Players make moves underwater while holding their breath, combining classical chess calculations with physical endurance.
Niemann, who had previously announced his intention to add an underwater “crown” to his Freestyle campaign, defeated Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov to win the exhibition competition.
Eight chess players, including Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian, will participate in the main Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals tournament.
