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Levon Aronian Wins GCT Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz 2025
Levon Aronian showed his brilliance once again by winning the Grand Chess Tour Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2025. The Armenian chess legend finished three points ahead of runner-up Fabiano Caruana, securing the title in style.
The tournament was held at the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri, from August 11–15, 2025. It was the final rapid and blitz event of this year’s Grand Chess Tour, featuring six full-tour players and four wildcards.
The format had nine rounds of rapid chess (2 points for a win, 1 for a draw) followed by 18 rounds of blitz (1 point for a win). In total, 135 games were played over five thrilling days.
Caruana Leads in Rapid, Aronian Strikes Back in Blitz
The rapid section was a close race between Caruana and Aronian. Caruana scored a strong 14/18, finishing just one point ahead of Aronian.
But in the blitz section, everything changed. Aronian, the oldest player in the field, crushed his rivals, including two wins against Caruana. With two rounds to spare, he secured the championship.
Caruana, despite his excellent rapid performance, slipped in the blitz due to mistakes. Still, he managed to finish second overall, just ahead of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (MVL).
MVL, Abdusattorov, and Gukesh D
MVL placed third overall, and that result pushed him to the top of the Grand Chess Tour standings, likely earning him a spot in the Tour Finals in São Paulo.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov made an impressive comeback. Starting low in the standings, he tied for first in the blitz and climbed to fourth overall, just half a point behind MVL.
World Champion Gukesh D performed solidly in the rapid rounds but struggled in the blitz, ending in sixth place overall.
Final Thoughts
The Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz delivered thrilling games, surprising turnarounds, and a champion performance from Levon Aronian. Fans around the world will now look forward to the Grand Chess Tour Finals in São Paulo.
Photos: Saint Louis Chess Club / Lennart Ootes
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
