Grandmasters hold their breath to battle for unique underwater title
In a contest that tested lung capacity as much as strategic brilliance, American Grandmaster Hans Niemann emerged victorious at the Diving Chess Cape Town 2025. On Thursday, Niemann secured the championship title by outlasting his fellow American rival, Fabiano Caruana, in the finals of this extraordinary underwater tournament.
The competition took place at the Silo Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, serving as a fascinating side event to the prestigious Freestyle Chess Grand Slam finals. The rules of the game add a physical layer to the cerebral sport: a magnetic chess set is submerged 110 centimetres deep at the bottom of a swimming pool. Players must dive, make their move, and resurface for air. The moment a player surfaces, their opponent is required to dive immediately to respond.
While the Americans battled for the top spot, there was significant interest for Indian chess fans as well. Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi participated in the event but narrowly missed out on a podium finish. In the match for third place, Gujrathi was defeated by Uzbekistan’s recent FIDE World Cup winner, Javokhir Sindarov.
After clinching the title, Niemann celebrated with local supporters before taking on a new challenge. He played an exhibition match against the reigning Diving Chess World Champion, Michal Mazurkiewicz. Despite making an early blunder that cost him a bishop for a rook and a pawn, Niemann’s over-the-board superiority allowed him to defeat the underwater specialist.
Grandmasters Meet the Fans
While Niemann was making waves in the pool, other chess legends were engaging with the local community. Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, and Vincent Keymer visited the University of the Western Cape to host a simultaneous exhibition (simul) for approximately 200 fans and local club members.
Carlsen and Aronian teamed up for a "tandem simul," alternating moves across 20 different boards. The duo was dominant, winning 15 games, drawing one, and losing only four. Meanwhile, Vincent Keymer and his coach, Peter Leko, remained unbeaten against their opponents, securing 18 wins and two draws.
The fan interaction also featured a stunning display of speed chess by Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo. Playing blitz for over two hours, Maghsoodloo accepted a massive time handicap—he had only 30 seconds compared to his opponents' five minutes. Despite the disadvantage, he won every single game.
Indian stars Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi remain in the spotlight as they prepare to compete in the main Freestyle Grand Slam finals.
