Top contenders at FIDE World Rapid & Blitz in Doha
From Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi to Abdusattorov and Erigaisi, the top seeds in the Open arrive as clear – favourites yet face a hungry field of challengers. The final week of the calendar year means one thing in chess – The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships. The event traditionally brings together the best players in the world for a week-long event of high-stakes chess and drama, and 2025 is no exception. As per tradition, the greatest public interest is reserved for the Open section, which Magnus Carlsen has mostly dominated in recent years. While a new generation of super-GMs rising rapidly, the top-10 list of players in the Open in Doha is still dominated by seasoned players. Here is a look at the top players in the Open in the 2025 FIDE WRB by rating, vying for the top spots. Magnus Carlsen Magnus Carlsen arrives in Doha as the top seed in both Open Rapid (2824) and Open Blitz (2881) on the official participant list. He won the world rapid crown five times (2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023) and the world blitz as many as eight times (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024; albeit, the 2024 title is shared with Nepomniachtchi). With 12 total crowns, he is by far the most successful player in blitz and rapid formats. By his own confession, Carlsen is more interested in faster formats than classical chess. He continues to show that in 2025 – winning the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz in Croatia and taking the overall title in the “Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour” and the inaugural Chess Esports World Cup. However, this year’s appearance is different to previous ones at the WRB: Carlsen recently become a father which for most new parents usually means lack of sleep. Whether that will have an impact on his performance remains to be seen. Ian Nepomniachtchi Ian Nepomniachtchi is the second seed in both rapid and blitz in Doha, with ratings of 2762 and 2801 respectively. The two-time challenger for the title of world champion in classical chess has a collection of “almost victories” at the World Rapid and Blitz, with three silver and two bronze medals from in rapid (including from Warsaw 2021, where he finished second on tiebreak, behind Abdusattorov). He also has a silver medal from the 2014 World Blitz in Dubai. Nepomniachtchi’s biggest success so far is sharing first place in the 2024 World Blitz in New York. Alongside Carlsen, Nepomniachtchi has for years been one of the central figures of the chess world, winning or placing near the top of the biggest events. In Doha he will be one of the main candidates for the crown in both formats. Levon Aronian Levon Aronian is seeded third in rapid (2756) and fifth in blitz (2774). The last time he won the World Rapid was in 2009, and the World Blitz in 2010. At 43, he continues to hold his own against the hungry young lions coming up in chess. In 2025 he showed that he can still win the biggest events by defeating Carlsen in the final of the “Freestyle Chess Grand Slam” event in South Africa. With a long record of success in mixed rapid and blitz formats, Aronian is one of the toughest and most experiences competitors in Doha. Fabiano Caruana Fabiano Caruana is the fourth seed in rapid seventh in blitz, both with a rating of 2751. The former candidate for the world crown and five-time US champion, Caruana is a long-time member of the absolute elite of chess. He was among the top scorers in the 2024 WRB, and – when in form – he is extremely difficult to stop. In 2025 he continued to fight for top places in super-tournaments and will be one of the most formidable players in Doha. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Seeded fifth in the rapid (2730), and 11th in blitz (2745), Maxime Vachier- Lagrave is one of the most established stars in fast chess formats. In 2021 he won the World Blitz crown, edging out Jan-Krzysztof Duda in his native Warsaw. With a long list of rapid and blitz titles, France’s long-time number player, MVL has maintained high consistency throughout the years. He will arrive in Doha straight from the Global Chess League in Mumbai, where he leads the team of upGrad Mumbai Masters fighting in season three of the event. Vladislav Artemiev Although only 27, Vladislav Artemiev has long been a fixture in elite chess events. The Russian GM has won multiple blitz and rapid titles from Russian championships and strong online events such as the Champions Chess Tour and the Speed Chess Championship. Rapid and blitz formats are Artemiev’s forte. In Samarkand, in 2023, he finished third in the World Blitz – behind Carlsen and Dubov. This is his only World Rapid/Blitz medal so far (having narrowly missed on a medal in blitz in Warsaw). In Doha, he will be looking to change this and secure a medal in either or both formats. Nodirbek Abdusattorov Nodirbek Abdusattorov first attracted global attention at the 2019 World Rapid and Blitz in Moscow, where he started the blitz tournament with 5/5 and then held Carlsen to a draw in round six in a very tense game. Since then, he rapidly rose to prominence, as a stellar exponent of Uzbekistan’s growing chess influence. The young Uzbek star has a World Rapid crown, which he won in 2021. He was the youngest ever World Rapid Champion at 17 years and three months. Now Uzbekistan’s biggest chess hope, he is on the rise, willing to take on anyone, hungry and strong, performing strongly wherever he appears. Abdusattorov’s main challenge will be to handle his ambition and steady the nerves as he fights with the old guard. Richard Rapport The Hungarian GM is recognized as one of the most original players at top-level; his games are among the most entertaining. In 2024 at the WRB Teams, he defeated Carlsen in just 23 moves. His best individual finish