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 was eighth in Rapid and ninth in Blitz Championships in 2022.
In 2025 Rapport has remained a regular in top invitational and rapid series, consistently delivering exciting games and strong results.
Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Jan-Krzysztof Duda is the ninth seed in rapid (2711) and eighth in blitz (2750).
The Polish grandmaster is a former World Cup winner and European Blitz Champion long regarded as one of the most dangerous players in fast controls. In 2025 he has been very active in the Grand Chess Tour rapid and blitz events, finishing high in the standings at both SuperUnited Croatia and the Superbet Poland legs.
Arjun Erigaisi
India’s top-rated player in classical chess arrives in Doha as the number eighth seed on the rapid list (2714) and ninth blitz (2749).
In 2025 Erigaisi had a strong showing in several events with fast-paced time controls, including winning all three Chess.com “Freestyle Friday” events. Erigaisi was also part of the gold-medal-winning squad that at the World Rapid Team Chess Championship in London, earlier this year.
Coming into Doha, he is seen as one of the leading representatives of India’s new wave in fast chess.
Daniil Dubov
Daniil Dubov is third on the blitz seeding list with 2795 points and just outside the top ten in rapid. A former World Rapid Champion, Dubov claimed the title in 2018 in Saint Petersburg, finishing unbeaten with 11 points out of 15.
Known as a sharp thinker both on and off the board Dubov is very popular among chess fans – his games and comments on chess are widely watched.
A regular in online elite events, Dubov has also been picked up by esports organisation Team Spirit for the 2025 Chess Esports World Cup, cementing his reputation as a speed-chess specialist.
Wesley So
Wesley So is fourth on the blitz list with a rating of 2790 and among the rapid top twenty in Doha. The U.S. grandmaster has a long record of success in rapid and blitz, from winning the 2020 St Louis Rapid & Blitz to taking the first Chess.com Global Championship, and he remains one of the most solid players in all time formats.
In 2025 he added another major title by winning the Sinquefield Cup after a playoff with Caruana and Praggnanandhaa, showing once again his strength under match and tiebreak pressure.
Oleksandr Bortnyk
Oleksandr Bortnyk completes the blitz top ten in Doha, with an Elo rating of 2748.
With multiple victories in Title Tuesday and Bullet Brawl on Chess.com, Bortnyk is recognised as one of the most dangerous players in blitz chess.
Still, online and over-the-board are not the same. It is quite different when you play in the solitude of your own home compared to a crowded chess arena. Not being a regular at top events, unlike most other players on this list, means Bortnyk has less experience in the spotlight. Yet his underdog status in Doha may give him an extra boost.
The Open section in Doha brings together nearly all of the world’s strongest fast chess players, with more than 230 entrants in rapid and over 230 in blitz and a combined Open prize fund of €700,000.
Within that huge field, these thirteen names stand out by rating and recent results and are seen as the top competitors in Doha.
Written by Milan Dinic
Photos: Michal Walusza and Global Chess League
Official website: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/
