White finds a nice resource, finally clearing a path for the knight to rejoin the game. But with just over 20 minutes left on the clock, time is becoming a serious factor, and any decision from here on comes with added pressure.
Erigaisi continues to press forward with his central pawns, methodically shutting down any potential activity from White.
White is now trying to activate at least some of their pieces, looking for any signs of life in an increasingly passive position.
Pawngrabbing versus activity and full central control. It's clear that White is stepping in the wrong direction.
White's knight is now stranded on the back rank, and with it, any hopes of castling are completely shattered.
Meanwhile, Black has built almost an hour lead on the clock, and sometimes, that kind of time pressure weighs on a player even more than the position itself. It’s a silent but growing factor in the game.
Black calmly develops their knight in response, covering the more important of the two pawns. Erigaisi knows that chasing after the edge pawn would only lead to trouble.
After a long think, White leaps forward with the knight, launching a double attack on two of Black’s pawns.
Players of Erigaisi’s caliber don’t wait for a second invitation to the dance,, they take the lead the moment you slip. One small inaccuracy, and they’re already setting the terms themselves.
Both of Black’s bishops are suddenly in full swing, actively supporting the center and radiating energy across the board.
This is one of those moments where “better late than never” doesn’t really apply. White’s delayed reaction gives Black just enough time to seize the initiative: and it’s the black's light-squared bishop leading the counterplay.
Meanwhile, Black takes full advantage of White’s hesitation and claims the center. Nothing’s stopping them from grabbing even more space on the next move, potentially opening up their light-squared bishop in the process.
Nothing dramatic has happened for White just yet, but moments like these (when the underdog misses a chance to put a real pressure) often feel like small psychological victories for the stronger side.
Not sure why Koehler didn't place his rook on the open file targeting black's isolated pawn. That would be a serious question to Erigaisi to answer.
Just a developing move. Not much black can do right now.
White recaptures with the queen, keeping their pawn structure intact. In contrast, Black is left with an isolated side pawn, a long-term weakness, as it lacks support from its fellow pawns, since they are disconnected.
Black grabs the pawn, deliberately altering the structure. Creating imbalance is a classic strategy, especially when one player is clearly stronger on paper. It stirs up complications, even if the resulting pawn structure currently favors White.
White wisely avoids capturing the bishop, doing so would only help Erigaisi develop his pieces. nstead, they use the corner placement of their queen to launch an attack on the pawn structure. A sharp, aggressive approach.
Erigaisi iis claiming his share of the long dark-square diagonal, pushing his pawn as far as possible, mirroring white's first move.
White now turns their attention to developing the dark-squared bishop. Quite natural step in completing coordination.
Erigaisi pushes his central pawn, immediately challenging White’s setup and looking to shut down any hopes of a queen–bishop battery on the long diagonal.
Koehler opens the game with a very logical first move: creating space for the queen and preparing to bring the bishop alongside it onto the long diagonal. A healthy development.
Grenke Freestyle Chess Open 2025 – Round 1.
We’re heading into Round 1 of the Grenke Freestyle Chess Open 2025, live from Karlsruhe, Germany — a 9-round Swiss tournament using Chess960 rules, where every game starts with a randomized setup and creativity reigns.
Today we are covering battle between two very different worlds of chess: Christian Friedrich Koehler takes on rising Indian superstar Arjun Erigaisi.
It’s always fascinating to watch when dedicated amateurs go up against world-class professional, especially in a format like Freestyle Chess, where surprise and intuition often outweigh preparation. With €225,000 in prizes and a spot at the New York Grand Slam on the line, every result counts.
Freestyle Chess is back after a short break! No theory, no safety nets, just chess at its rawest.