Samuel Sevian replaces Nepomniachtchi for Las Vegas Freestyle Chess 2025
Las Vegas Freestyle will take place July 16–20, 2025, at the Wynn Las Vegas, specifically in the 50,000-square-foot Lafite Ballroom. It’s the third leg of the 2025 tour – after Paris Freestyle and Grenke Freestyle – and the first Freestyle Chess event in the U.S. open to live spectators. It features 16 top grandmasters in a five-day event with a group stage (round-robin, 10+10 time control) followed by a double-elimination knockout (30+30 for key stages). The prize fund is $750,000, contributing to the tour’s points system to crown the first Freestyle Chess Champion in Cape Town.
Las Vegas Freestyle Chess 2025 timeline
22.04.2025 Parham Maghsoodloo gets the ticket to Las Vegas Freestyle Chess 2025
24.04.2025 Full list of participants
11.07.2025 Hans Niemann wins Freestyle Friday ahead of Las Vegas
12.07.2025 Ray Robson substitutes Parham Maghsoodloo for Las Vegas Freestyle Chess 2025
12.07.2025 Live games
13.07.2025 Samuel Sevian replaces Nepomniachtchi for Las Vegas Freestyle Chess 2025
Yesterday, the organizers of Las Vegas Freestyle 2025 announced that Ray Robson will play the event instead of Parham Maghsoodloo. Today, Samuel Sevian replaces Ian Nepomniachtchi. “We regret to share that Ian Nepomniachtchi will not be participating in Freestyle Chess Las Vegas due to personal family circumstances. Our thoughts are with him during this time. We are grateful that Sam Sevian is stepping in as a last-minute replacement,” say the organizers of Las Vegas Freestyle 2025.