Caruana beats MVL in very close match, wins Grand Chess Tour Finals

Fabiano Caruana won the 2025 Grand Chess Tour Finals in São Paulo after defeating Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in a tense match that was decided in the blitz phase. After losing the opening rapid game, Caruana responded with three straight wins in blitz to secure the title, holding a draw in a dramatic final game to clinch overall victory. Levon Aronian beat Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu 20–8 in the third-place match, earning a place in next year’s Grand Chess Tour. | Photo: Lennart Ootes