India, Dec. 18 -- Vincent Keymer is a well-known name among chess fans in India. The German GM caught the nation's attention after D Gukesh's World Championship victory last December, when it was revealed that he was part of his team of seconds. 2025 has been a year of highs for Keymer, and he has established himself as one of the best GMs in the world currently. But he missed out on qualification for the Candidates 2026, and his aspirations to become a world champion have been put on further hold.

His skillset was on full display in the opening leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour at Weissenhaus, as he beat Magnus Carlsen in the semifinal and then Fabiano Caruana in the final. He also clinched the German C'ship this year, for the ...