KazChess and Dragon Chilling lead after day one of World Rapid Team Championship in Hong Kong
KazChess and Dragon Chilling emerged as the early leaders after the first day of the FIDE World Team Rapid Championship in Hong Kong, with both teams winning all four of their opening matches. They are followed by nine teams on three match wins, including defending champions Team MGD1 and strong favorites WR Chess. The fourth edition of the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships kicked off in Hong Kong today at Queen Elizabeth Stadium. As is tradition, the World Team Rapid Championship is the first competition to begin. KazChess – traditionally one of the heavyweights in the field – finished the day at the top of the scoreboard without losing a single game on the top boards. But things did not go entirely smoothly. In round one, the team struggled against local side Chongqing Kylin Chess Club, as Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Alexander Grischuk were held to draws by players rated around 300 points lower. Still, KazChess won the match 4:2 thanks to wins by Kazybek Nogerbek and WGM Aldiyar Ansat on boards three and four. In the following three rounds, KazChess faced exceptionally strong opposition. In round two, they defeated Sky Chess – featuring strong Armenian players Shant Sargsyan and Aram Hakobyan, as well as American GM Andrew Hong – by 4.5:1.5. In round three, they outplayed the star team of Uzbekistan, striking a major blow against World Championship Challenger Javokhir Sindarov and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. In the final round of the day, KazChess overcame the all-star Indian squad Chessgurukul, led by Praggnanandhaa R. Sharing first place, but with weaker tiebreaks, is China’s Dragon Chilling, led by former World Champion Ding Liren. Ding, who is gradually returning to more active chess play, was held to a draw in round one by Mongolia’s Dambasuren Batsuren, rated around 300 points lower. Ding won in round two, drew again in round three, but finished the day with a defeat in round four. Playing Black against Nikolas Theodorou, he miscalculated in a complicated position and lost. Day two will open with a headline matchup between the two leaders. Other notable developments on day one include Praggnanandhaa’s loss in the game with Mongolia-Adlar’s first board, Sumiya Bilguun, who is rated around 300 points lower. Rating favorites WR Chess – featuring world number one Magnus Carlsen and top players such as Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So – also started strongly but survived a setback in round two against Chessnut Nova after Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Alexandra Goryachkina both lost their games. In a clash of two chess titans, Magnus Carlsen beat Vasyl Ivanchuk in round three. In the same round, defending champions Team MGD1 lost to Team International Trading from Singapore. In the final moments of the match, MGD1’s board two, Nihal Sarin, slipped against Rinat Jumabayev, handing the Singapore team the victory. In round four, the mixed Armenian-Uzbek squad Sky Chess delivered a major surprise against Hexamind, one of the favorites. With five games finished, the score was level at 2.5:2.5. But on board three, despite having White, Anish Giri found himself in trouble against Andrew Hong and lost, giving Sky Chess the match victory. The World Team Rapid Championship continues on Thursday with four more rounds. Results and pairings of Day One can be found here: http://worldrapidblitzteams2026.fide.com. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Michal Walusza About the WTRBСС and the FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships were launched in 2023. It is a global team competition where teams are made up of elite grandmasters, prodigies and recreational players. It consists of two tournaments – rapid and blitz. This is the first time the event is being held in Hong Kong and East Asia. The Hong Kong event also features the FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup, where teams are strictly made up of amateur chess players. The WTRBCC take place from 17-21 June, with three days for the rapid and two days for the blitz. The prize fund for the WTRBСС is €500,000, and €25,000 for the Amateur cup. Official websites:WTRBCC: http://worldrapidblitzteams2026.fide.com Amateur Cup: http://worldteamamateurrapid2026.hkchessevent.com
Hong Kong joins global chess map as World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships get underway
The fourth edition of the fast-paced World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships has started in Hong Kong with 48 squads competing. For the first time since the launch of the competition in 2023, FIDE is also staging a World Team Amateur Cup, which will run alongside the WTRBCC. Six World Champions, including Zhu Chen, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Ju Wenjun, Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand and Ding Liren, and eight World Cup winners and current World Championship challengers Javokhir Sindarov and Vaishali Rameshbabu are taking part in the competition. The WTRBCC is taking place at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium and will consist of a three-day World Rapid, followed by a two-day World Blitz team tournament. Each team has six to nine players – including a female player and recreational player – and every match is played on six boards. The field also features many of the game’s rising stars, making the competition a meeting point between established champions and the next generation of elite chess. In parallel with the WTRBCC, FIDE is also staging the first World Team Amateur Cup. Designed solely for non-professionals, it gives recreational players a chance to compete in a world chess championship atmosphere. More than 800 players in total are participating across both events. A historic milestone for Hong Kong The event represents a historic milestone for the Pearl City, marking the largest and most prestigious chess gathering ever held in Hong Kong. Previously, Hong Kong hosted the 2024 Asian Rapid Teams and the FIDE Asian Amateurs Championship in 2025. Speaking on behalf of the Hong Kong SAR government, Lau Chun, Raistlin, Justice of Peace and Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the championship brings East Asia into the center of top-level fast chess and strengthens Hong Kong’s reputation as a major sporting-event destination. “We do not simply stage international tournaments awarded the “M” Mark status; we further cement Hong Kong’s reputation as a premier destination for major sporting events,” Lau Chan Raistlin said. The “M” Mark is Hong Kong’s official recognition for major international sports events held in the city. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich described Hong Kong as a new global chess hub. “Today, Hong Kong joins the map of global chess hosts,” Dvorkovich said. Dvorkovich also praised the inclusive nature of the event: “By bringing together professionals, amateurs and prodigies, we show what chess is today – professional, open, competitive and inclusive.” From hosting regional competitions to staging a global chess event, Hong Kong is positioning itself as a serious international chess venue. As pointed out by Geoffrey Kao, Honorary President of the Hong Kong China Chess Federation, hosting the WTRBCC is “a statement to the capacities and the ambitions of our chess federation” and shows that Hong Kong wants “to be taken seriously as a chess city.” Geoffrey Kao has been praised as the key driving force behind the decision to host the WTRBCC in Hong Kong. K.K. Chan, President of the Hong Kong China Chess Federation, credited Geoffrey Kao’s role in making the event happen, adding that “this event speaks for itself: the best players in the world, here, on our shores.” Following the presentation of the teams, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich officially declared the championship open, and together with Lau Chun, Raistlin, started the first round with the ceremonial first move. The opening ceremony also included a warm birthday tribute to Peter Svidler, the multi-time World Chess Championship Candidate, playing for Barys, who turned 50. What this event means for world chess The tournament in Hong Kong joins several FIDE priorities in one: elite fast chess, team-based spectacle, inclusion of women and recreational players, youth development, amateur participation, corporate/private-team engagement, and Asia’s growing role in the chess world. As pointed out by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, Hong Kong is a natural stage because chess strength in Asia is growing fast. “This region has given our game champions, new stars and a new generation of players who are changing the chess map… This is a statement about where chess is going – faster, more international, more inclusive, more commercially visible, and increasingly centered on Asia,” added Dvorkovich. On Monday, Dvorkovich was in Shenzhen, one of the world’s leading tech hubs, where he opened FIDE’s new Asian office. With a growing interest from tech companies in chess, the office will focus on building partnerships with tech and business organizations in the region to drive the next phase of global chess development. About the WTRBСС and the FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships were launched in 2023. It is a global team competition where teams are made up of elite grandmasters, prodigies and recreational players. It consists of two tournaments – rapid and blitz. This is the first time the event is being held in Hong Kong and East Asia. The Hong Kong event also features the FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup, where teams are strictly made up of amateur chess players. The WTRBCC take place from 17-21 June, with three days for the rapid and two days for the blitz. The prize fund for the WTRBСС is €500,000, and €25,000 for the Amateur cup. Official websites:WTRBCC: http://worldrapidblitzteams2026.fide.com Amateur Cup: http://worldteamamateurrapid2026.hkchessevent.com Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Michal Walusza