Magnus Carlsen and Bibisara Assaubayeva win World Blitz crowns
Magnus Carlsen defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the knockout finals 2.5-1.5 to clinch his ninth title in the World Blitz. In the Women’s competition, with the same score, Bibisara Assaubayeva won over Anna Muzychuk to claim her third World Blitz title and qualify for the 2026 Candidates. The 2025 World Blitz Championships concluded in Doha with two familiar World Champions in this discipline. Second place in the Open Blitz went to Nodirbek Abdusattorov, while Arjun Erigaisi and Fabiano Caruana share the bronze. In the Women’s Blitz, Anna Muzychuk took silver, while the bronze went jointly to Zhu Jiner and Eline Roebers. In both the Open and Women’s competitions, the top four players from the first advanced to knockouts consisting of semifinals and finals, each a four-game match. The first stage was a Swiss-system tournament with 19 rounds in the Open and 15 in the Women’s event. Open Blitz The first day of the Open finished with Arjun Erigaisi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Fabiano Caruana sharing the lead after 13 rounds. Six more rounds on Day 2 would determine the final four players advancing to the knockout stage. The day started with a sensational ending of the game between Armenia’s Haik Martirosyan and Magnus Carlsen. In a tense position, with both players in severe time trouble, the Norwegian lost his composure and accidentally knocked off most pieces on the board with just two seconds left on his clock. As Magnus scrambled to reset them, he also pressed the clock (gaining two more seconds) before all the pieces were placed correctly, which was illegal. The arbiters were called in, and the incident – already visible on camera – was reviewed. Sector arbiter Chris Bird consulted with the players and explained the rules applicable in this situation. According to the regulations – which were presented to the players in the Technical Meeting ahead of each tournament – if a player brings the game into disrepute “with the intention of preventing their time expiring, the player should expect to be penalised by losing the game.” After hearing to the explanation, Carlsen accepted the decision and shook Martirosyan’s hand. This was a serious setback for the Norwegian – his second time in the tournament he dropped a piece in time trouble and ended up losing. Despite the incident, Carlsen kept his composure and rebounded in the following rounds. As the final rounds neared, several top players withdrew, concluding they had no chance of reaching prizes or top places. Among those who left early were Hans Niemann, José Eduardo Martínez Alcántara, Aleksandr Shimanov, and Maksim Chigaev. Caruana entered the final round on 13 points, sharing second with Carlsen, who had won four straight games after his loss to Martirosyan—including a crucial victory over Vachier-Lagrave (MVL) as Black in the penultimate round. Vachier-Lagrave, who had been in the top three for much of the event, slipped to a group on 12.5 points, sharing fourth. With first place and the top knockout spot decided, the final round determined the remaining three qualifiers. Erigaisi drew, while Caruana defeated Hakobyan with Black to claim clear second with 14/19. Carlsen split the point with Abdusattorov to finish on 13.5/19, enough for sole third. Six players finished tied for fourth with 13/19, including Nihal Sarin, Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Based on tiebreaks, Abdusattorov emerged on top of the group, clinching the final spot in the knockouts. The final standings in the Swiss-tournament phase of the World Blitz Open are available [HERE]. Women’s Blitz Day-one leader Eline Roebers continued dominating in Rounds 11 and 12 but lost in Round 13 to Bibisara Assaubayeva, who took sole lead. Playing the Sicilian, Assaubayeva seized the initiative early and won comfortably, reaching 10.5/13. Assaubayeva’s stay at the top was short-lived. In round 14 she overlooked a piece in time trouble and lost to the two-time women’s world blitz champion Valentina Gunina. With one round left to play, Gunina topped the standings with 11 points out of 14, half a point ahead of Assaubayeva. Six players shared third place, including Anna Muzychuk, who had climbed steadily with two wins and two draws on Day 2. In the final round, Gunina and Muzychuk faced each other in an Italian Game. Gunina seized the initiative and reached a dominant position with an extra piece, but time became her enemy. With seconds on her clock, she overlooked a deadly check from Muzychuk that turned the game around. Gunina fought bravely but eventually capitulated. When the dust settled, five players finished tied at the top on 11/15: Bibisara Assaubayeva, Anna Muzychuk, Eline Roebers, Zhu Jiner, and Valentina Gunina. With only the top four advancing to the knockout stage, Gunina was the unfortunate player to miss out – a disappointing end to an otherwise strong tournament. The final standings in the Swiss-tournament phase of the World Blitz Open are available [HERE]. Knockout drama In the semi-final matches in the Open, Uzbekistan’s top player, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, defeated India’s Arjun Erigaisi 2.5–0.5. Abdusattorov won both of the first two games. In game three, playing as White, Erigaisi managed only a draw, eliminating the need for the fourth game. In the other semi-final in the Open, it was a duel of two old foes: Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana. After two hard-fought draws, in game three Carlsen managed to swing the game as Black and win. In the fourth game, Caruana did not manage to achieve more than equality, and the score was 2.5–1.5 for Carlsen. The final was a nail-biter. Abdusattorov won the first game as Black with superior endgame precision, announcing a potential upset. In the second game, Carlsen struck back with the black pieces, grinding out a win in a dead-equal endgame. Following a draw in game three, everything depended on the final, fourth game. Carlsen prevailed in a tense battle and sealed his ninth World Blitz crown. “This was a very tough event for me. It could have gone either way. But when we got to the knockouts, I
World Blitz in Doha: Tight race in Open as Eline Roebers leads Women’s event
After 13 rounds, Arjun Erigaisi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Fabiano Caruana share the lead in the Open section of the FIDE World Blitz Championship with 10 points each. In the Women’s Blitz, the Netherlands’ Eline Roebers emerged as the sole leader with 8.5/10. The 2025 FIDE World Blitz Chess Championships started in Doha on Monday, December 29. Day one featured 13 rounds in the Open and ten in the Women’s competition. A trio of players tops the Open standings. Arjun Erigaisi, who moved into first place in Round 11, has enjoyed a stellar run, including a dramatic win over Magnus Carlsen when the Norwegian’s piece flew off the board and his time expired. Erigaisi’s only defeat came at the hands of Jorden van Foreest. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave recovered from an early setback in Round 2 to join the leaders by Round 12. Finally, Fabiano Caruana surged to the top with a strong finish, including a lucky victory over Carlsen, who blundered a rook. The leaders are chased by six players on 9.5 points. The co-champions from 2024, Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi, sit on 9/13. In the Women’s event, Eline Roebers defeated Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 9 to tie for the lead, then outplayed Argentina’s Candela Francisco Guecamburu with Black in Round 10, securing the sole lead. Goryachkina, Umida Omonova (the sole leader after Round 6), and former Women’s World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova trail by half a point with 8/10. The Open Blitz The first sole leader in the Open emerged after Round 6 – Jorden van Foreest was the only player with a 100% score. The 26-year-old Dutchman, who won the Dutch championship this year, defeated the likes of Firouzja and Erigaisi. In Round 7, van Foreest fell to Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who briefly joined a six-way tie for the lead at 6/7. Things didn’t go well for the Dutchman after that, and he finished the day on 8/13. By the end of Round 10, Arjun Erigaisi stood alone at the top with 8.5/10, having drawn only once (with Firouzja) and lost once (to van Foreest). Entering the final round of the day, three players were tied at 9.5/12: Erigaisi, Vachier-Lagrave, and Caruana (who joined the lead by beating Carlsen). All three drew their final games: MVL with Caruana and Erigaisi with Daniil Dubov. With other games on top boards ending in draws, the trio remains at the top after day one. Magnus Carlsen finished on 9/13. He suffered two big setbacks – losing to Erigaisi on time and overlooking a rook against Fabiano Caruana. Magnus also drew four games – with Javokhir Sindarov, Oleksandr Bortnyk, Jorden van Foreest, and Alexander Grischuk. With six rounds remaining, Carlsen will need to sharpen his game if he wants to reach the top four. Top 10 after Day 1 – Blitz Open The Blitz drama: When pieces fly off the board The moment that captured the full drama of the World Blitz event happened in Round 9. Magnus Carlsen was fighting a tense endgame with India’s top player, Arjun Erigaisi. The Indian had nine seconds on his clock while Carlsen was down to three. Just as Carlsen was about to make a queen move, his queen slipped off his hand and flew off the table. Alexander Grischuk, who happened to be passing by at that moment, jumped and tried to move out of the way quickly. By the time Carlsen picked up his queen and put it back on the board, his time had already run out. The Norwegian couldn’t hide his anger, slamming his fist on the table. The Women’s Blitz As in the Open, the first sole leader in the Women’s Blitz emerged after Round 6. Uzbekistan’s Umida Omonova defeated a whole field of strong players, including Koneru, Danielian, Lagno, and Yip, to reach the top. In Round 7, Omonova lost to Aleksandra Goryachkina, who took the lead and held it for the next three rounds (despite losing as Black to Eline Roebers in round nine). In the final round of the day, Goryachkina drew as White on board one with former Women’s World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova, putting them both on eight points. Meanwhile, on board two, Eline Roebers defeated Candela Francisco Guecamburu with the black pieces. With 8.5/10, Roebers ended the day as the sole leader. Behind her are Goryachkina, Omonova, and Stefanova, all on eight points. The defending Women’s World Champion in the Blitz Ju Wenjun finished the day on 5.5 points, just above 50%. With five more rounds to go in the Women’s Blitz, Ju has almost no chance of reaching the knockouts. Top 10 after Day 1 – Blitz Women From knockouts to “sudden death” games: The rules of the Blitz format The World Blitz Championships are made up of two stages. The first is a large Swiss tournament (19 rounds in the Open, 15 in the Women’s event). The top four players then advance to the knockout stage, which consists of four-game matches. The knockout format in the Blitz was first introduced in the 2024 event, when it featured eight players. The change from last year is that the number of players who qualify for the knockouts is four instead of eight. If the score is even after four blitz games, one sudden death game shall be played to determine the winner of the match. In the previous edition in New York, Ju Wenjun won the Blitz crown. In the Open, the title was shared jointly by Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi after the two ended up in a series of hard-fought draws. The two-day event features 150 players in the Open and 140 in the Women’s competition, fighting for the prize fund worth just over half a million euros (nearly 600,000 USD). With the time control of three minutes plus a two-second increment per move, starting from move one, this tournament is traditionally the sharpest and most electrifying chess event of the year, with surprises and setbacks in almost every round. The standings after Day 1
Tsephe Lebajoa and Boitumelo Sethabathaba crowned champions at 2025 Lesotho Championship
CM Tsephe Lebajoa, the reigning Lesotho Junior Male Sports Person of the Year, concluded a remarkable season by winning the Open title at the 2025 National Chess Championship. He secured victory with a round to spare after a commanding and consistent performance. This win crowns an outstanding year for the young star, marking his fifth major title in 2025 and cementing his status as one of the nation’s leading players. Lebajoa was in scintillating form throughout the championship, recording impressive victories against several top contenders, including former national champion Lihleola Motlomelo, third seed Karabo Mokete, and fourth-ranked George Mohamed. His only loss came in the final round against Khama Letsatsi, after the title was already decided. Alongside the national crown, Lebajoa earned a M5,500 first prize. Katleho Phakisi claimed silver after producing one of the tournament’s standout performances. Entering as the 24th seed and missing the opening round, Phakisi exceeded expectations with a superb run that echoed the promise he showed as a 15-year-old two years ago. His strong performance resulted in a gain of over 100 rating points, signaling a major return to form. Third place went to Khama Letsatsi, who rose to the occasion in the final round with a composed and disciplined victory over the champion. The Best Junior Award was claimed by Tumelo Putsoa, who continued his impressive run following his recent national junior title. Putsoa defeated several higher-rated opponents, reaffirming his status as one of Lesotho’s brightest prospects. He finished level on points with Batloung Lesela, one of the country’s top performers. Honours for Best Female Player were awarded to Boitumelo Sethabathaba, who delivered a strong and determined performance in a highly competitive field. Bonolo Ntsielo secured the prize for Second Best Female Player, highlighting the growing depth of women’s chess in Lesotho. The 2025 edition was the largest National Chess Championship to date, attracting a record 62 players, including 12 under-16 competitors and 10 women. The event was further enhanced by an increased prize fund, with the champion receiving double the amount awarded to the previous winner – reflecting the growing stature and ambition of the championship. Complete final standings The organizers extend their sincere appreciation to all players, coaches, parents, and officials for their support and contribution, and look forward to welcoming the chess community again at the next edition.
Carlsen and Goryachkina take World Rapid titles in Doha
Magnus Carlsen claimed his sixth World Rapid Championship title with a score of 10.5/13, finishing a full point ahead of the field. The women’s crown went to Aleksandra Goryachkina, who defeated Zhu Jiner in a blitz playoff. The 2025 FIDE World Rapid concluded in Doha on Sunday evening with new World Champions in both the Open and the Women’s competitions. After a stumble on day two, Magnus Carlsen came back on the final day of the rapid in full force, scoring three consecutive victories – against Sarana, Niemann and Erdogmus. The Norwegian entered the final round with a one-point lead over Vladislav Artemiev and Hans Niemann. Facing Anish Giri as White, he quickly drew, which was enough for Carlsen to claim his sixth crown in the World Rapid (2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2025). “It was a big field with a lot of strong players. The serious advantage that I have is that I play for first place when I’m appearing here, while most other players are thinking about getting a good prize and maybe a medal. That gives me a huge psychological advantage,” said Carlsen after his victory. When asked to compare this Rapid crown to the previous five, Carlsen remarked: “What stands out is that I managed to beat everyone who is not a top player, something I’m very happy with. Overall, except for the start on day two, which was horrendous, everything else was really good for me here.” The second place in the World Rapid was shared by four players, all on 9.5 points: Vladislav Artemiev, Arjun Erigaisi, Hans Niemann, and Leinier Dominguez Perez. Artemiev – the only player to defeat Carlsen in the event – took silver, while Arjun Erigaisi claimed bronze. Hans Niemann missed out on a medal by 0.5 Buchholz points (a tie-breaking system in chess that ranks players based on the sum of points of all of their opponents in the tournament). In the Women’s Rapid, three players were tied for the lead before the final round: Zhu Jiner, Aleksandra Goryachkina, and defending champion Humpy Koneru, all on 8/10 points. In Round 11, both Zhu and Goryachkina drew their games. Koneru, the only leader with a chance to take sole first place, had a completely winning endgame against compatriot Shri B. Savitha but misplayed in time trouble, allowing Savitha to escape with a draw. According to the regulations, in case of a tie for first place, only the top two players (based on tiebreaks) went to the playoff finals. To Koneru’s misfortune, she wasn’t one of them. Instead, Goryachkina and Zhu contested two blitz games. Goryachkina quickly won the first and drew the second to secure the title. This is the first World Rapid crown for Goryachkina, who was the World Champion challenger in 2020 in classical time control. Zhu Jiner, who led for most of the tournament, finished in second place. After winning gold in New York in 2024, Humpy Koneru takes home the bronze medal from Doha. The action continues on Monday, December 29, with the start of the two-day World Blitz Championship in both the Open and Women’s categories. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anna Shtourman and Lennart Ootes Where to follow: The action can be followed live on the FIDE YouTube Channel, featuring expert commentary by GMs Maurice Ashley, Peter Leko and IM Jovanka Houska. About the event: The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025 are taking place in Doha, Qatar from 25 to 30 December, bringing together the world’s elite chess talent for a thrilling end-of-year showdown. Held at the Sports and Events Complex, Qatar University, this edition features both Open and Women’s events in Rapid and Blitz formats, with a total prize fund of over €1,000,000. Doha returns as host after nine years, underscoring Qatar’s growing stature in the chess world. Official website: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/
FIDE World Rapid, Day 2: Drama in Doha as Carlsen stumbles
After two days of FIDE World Rapid in Doha, Vladislav Artemiev and Hans Niemann share the lead in the Open on 7.5/9. In the Women’s Rapid, Zhu Jiner maintained her position at the top, but is joined by defending champion Humpy Koneru, with both ending the day on 6.5/8. In the Open event, Magnus Carlsen – who had 4.5/5 on day one – was put on the back foot on day two, starting with a draw and a defeat. Instead, it was Vladislav Artemiev (who defeated Carlsen) and Hans Niemann who shone, ending the day as joint leaders. They are chased by four players half a point behind: Carlsen, Sarana, Erdogmus and Abdusattorov. Zhu Jiner continued strongly in the Women’s Rapid and is now level with Humpy Koneru, who scored 3.5 points in four games. Both are on 6.5/8. They are trailed by as many as ten players on 6/8. The Open Rapid The standout players of the day in the Open were Vladislav Artemiev and Hans Niemann. One of the co-leaders on day one, Artemiev was in great form on day two. He opened with a victory as Black against India’s Arjun Erigaisi, coming back from a lost position and playing much of the game on increment. After Round 6 he became the sole leader of the tournament, with a half-point advantage. In Round 7, Artemiev defeated Carlsen in a game where the world’s top-rated player made a grave mistake on move 15, which cost him dearly. This win put Artemiev on 6.5 points, a full point ahead of the field. Artemiev concluded the day with two calm draws with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Alexey Sarana. “I am pleased with my performance, and everything is feeling good,” Artemiev told FIDE in a brief comment. Artemiev is joined at the top by Hans Niemann, who scored 3.5/4, conceding only a draw to compatriot Ray Robson. After a 4.5/5 on day one, Carlsen’s performance on day two slipped. In the first game of the day, in round six, he played the Sicilian against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Things didn’t go that well for Carlsen, who found himself with tripled pawns on the e-file and spent more time looking for the moves. After transitioning to a rook endgame where White had a 4-3 pawn advantage, it was clear that the best outcome for Carlsen was a draw. After testing Carlsen for a few moves, MVL agreed to split a point. Then came a huge upset for Carlsen in round seven. After surrendering on move 30, the Norwegian stormed out of the playing hall, visibly unhappy. Carlsen bounced back in Round 8, with a comfortable victory against Armenian GM Shant Sargsyan in the Italian Game. In Round 9, he faced US GM Ray Robson (who had held Hans Niemann to a draw in Round 7). Carlsen was better on time and managed to secure an extra pawn in the center. Robson resisted for a while, often having less than 10 seconds on his clock, but eventually capitulated in a hopeless position. With two straight victories, Carlsen joined the group of four players on seven points. It includes Abdusattorov, Sarana, and 2446-rated prodigy from Türkiye Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus. The 14-year-old teenager netted 3.5/4 today, defeating the likes of Joren Van Foreest and Nihal Sarin in the last two rounds. World Champion in classical chess, Gukesh D, had an uneven performance on day two. Starting with two draws, in Round 8 he prevailed over Spain’s David Anton in a topsy-turvy game. However, in the following round he was completely dismantled by Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the King’s Indian Attack. With this defeat, Gukesh finished on 6.5 points. Defending Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin improved his performance, but only somewhat. After three defeats and two victories on day one, Murzin made a draw and two victories in Rounds 6, 7, and 8. However, in the last round of the day, he fell as White to Vahap Sanal after trapping his queen. He is now at 50% with 4.5/9. Seasoned heavyweight Levon Aronian, who had a great performance this year, is also one of the top players struggling in Doha. After scoring 3/5 on day one, he began the second day with two defeats. Levon bounced back with two wins and is now on 5/9. Ian Nepomniachtchi started the day with a loss with the white pieces in the game against Maksim Chigaev. The two-time candidate for the title of World Champion in classical chess responded with two draws and a win, finishing the day on 6/9. The Women’s Rapid The women’s event remains extremely tight. While the Open section of the Rapid had five rounds on day one, the women’s section had four. By the end of Round 7, defending champion Humpy Koneru emerged as the sole leader on six points, followed by eight players on 5.5. She was on six points, followed by eight players on 5.5 points. Among the chasers was Aleksandra Goryachkina, who has been very consistent in the tournament so far. After starting the day with a game against Zhu Jiner, Goryachkina finished it with the round seven leader, Koneru. Playing against the Petrov, Goryachkina emerged clearly better from the opening but erroneously grabbed a pawn on move 24, giving the opponent sufficient counterplay. The game ended in a draw, which was enough to secure Humpy a shared first place. Day 1 leader Zhu Jiner drew her round-five game against Goryachkina in an even endgame. Two more draws followed – against top contenders Nino Batsiashvili and Mariya Muzychuk. In the final round of the day in the Women’s event Zhu was facing World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh. Following interesting complications in the middlegame, the opponents landed in an unbalanced but roughly equal position. However, Divya’s seemingly harmless move 30…e4 turned out to be a blunder costing her the game. With this victory, Zhu scored 6.5 points and joined Koneru in the lead. World Champion in classical chess, Ju Wenjun, suffered a major setback at the start
FIDE World Rapid 2025: Magnus Carlsen and Zhu Jiner set early pace on day one in Doha
Norwegian Magnus Carlsen leads a group of five players on 4.5 points after five rounds in the open section of the FIDE World Rapid. China’s Zhu Jiner is the sole leader in the women’s section – the only player to achieve a perfect 4/4. The 2025 edition of the FIDE World Rapid kicked off at the Sports and Events Complex of Qatar University. With several hundred spectators in attendance, the tournament’s atmosphere was focused and professional as the year’s final world championship moved from ceremony to competition. The Open Rapid After five rounds on day one, five players share the lead in the Rapid: Magnus Carlsen, Arjun Erigaisi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Vladislav Artemiev and the reigning World Champion in classical chess, Gukesh D. At the opening press conference on Thursday (December 25), Carlsen said that he had come to Doha to win. He backed up those words with four convincing victories in the first four rounds. But in round five he was facing Arjun Erigaisi – one of the leading players of the new generation. In the Queen’s Gambit Declined, the two went for a line which quickly transitioned into an equal queen and rook endgame. Famous for his excellent technique and ability to “squeeze water from a stone”, Carlsen pushed hard. They eventually reached a rook ending where Carlsen had two extra “f” and “h” pawns. This theoretically drawn position requires precision from the weaker side which Erigaisi demonstrated, denying Carlsen the perfect score on day one. After a turbulent performance at the Global Chess League in Mumbai, the World Champion Gukesh D had a great run on day one in Doha. Starting with a draw in round one, he went on to score four victories to join the leaders. Defending World Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin had a difficult opening day and finishing on just two points. He suffered his first setback as early as round two at the hands of his compatriot Rudik Makarian. He went on to lose two more games before making a comeback in round five. With 2/5, his chances of retaining the crown won in New York in 2024 appear slim. Another slow starter in the World Rapid is Praggnanandhaa. The elite world player won his first-round game, but then made two draws. In round four, he suffered a loss as Black to more than 150 points lower-rated Levan Pantsulaia, ending the day on a disappointing note. Vasyl Ivanchuk – who won the World Rapid in Doha in 2016 – is also on three points, drawing four games after his first-round victory. The Women’s Rapid Zhu Jiner holds the sole lead in the Women’s Rapid section after winning all four of her games today. The Chinese GM dominated from the outset, securing strong positions in every encounter – including against seasoned opponents such as Armenian Grandmaster Elina Danielian and Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze. In Round 5, she will face Aleksandra Goryachkina, the former Women’s World Championship challenger. https://youtu.be/vyPsqAnQV38 As many as seven players are trailing Zhu by half a point. Leading the chase is Nino Batsiashvili, who also performed strongly in the recently concluded Tech Mahindra Global Chess League. Joining her are two former Women’s World Champions Mariya Muzychuk and Antoaneta Stefanova, former women’s challenger Aleksandra Goryachkina, India’s Harika Dronavalli, Song Yuxin (who stunned the field with her run at the Women’s Grand Swiss in Samarkand) and Sara Khadem. Former Women’s World Champion Tan Zhongyi was one of the biggest tragic figures of the day. In round three, she had a completely wining position against none other than the winner of the Women’s Grand Swiss, Vaishali Rameshbabu. However, in time trouble, Tan blundered overlooking a back-rank checkmate – a rare oversight at this level. With victories in all three other games, it is fair to say that Tan deserved to be in the lead; but in rapid chess, luck and misfortune are also big factors. Defending Women’s Rapid Champion Humpy Koneru also sits on 3 points, with two wins and two draws. Meanwhile, the reigning Women’s World Champion in classical chess, Ju Wenjun, ended the day on 3 points as well. In Round 1, she was held to a surprising draw by Azerbaijan’s Govhar Beydullayeva, rated over 300 points lower. Playing White, Beydullayeva seized the initiative early and maintained an edge for most of the game. Ju escaped only by sacrificing material to reach a technical draw – a bare king versus a pawn and a bishop and of the “wrong color”. After winning in Round 2, Ju suffered another minor setback in Round 3, missing a clear chance to win material as Black against Umida Omonova, settling for another draw. The action can be followed live on the FIDE YouTube Channel, featuring expert commentary by GMs Maurice Ashley, Peter Leko and IM Jovanka Houska. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anna Shtourman and Lennart Ootes About FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025 are taking place in Doha, Qatar from 25 to 30 December, bringing together the world’s elite chess talent for a thrilling end-of-year showdown. Held at the Sports and Events Complex, Qatar University, this edition features both Open and Women’s events in Rapid and Blitz formats, with a total prize fund of over €1,000,000. Doha returns as host after nine years, underscoring Qatar’s growing stature in the chess world. Official website: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/
WRB starts in Doha – the pearl of the chess world
The 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships were officially opened in Doha, marking the start of one of the most watched chess events globally. As players and guests gathered in the playing arena at the Sports and Events Complex of Qatar University, the ceremony opened with a performance by the traditional Qatari music group Farkah. Dressed in national clothing and accompanied by drums, the ensemble performed “Today is the happiest day”, a song traditionally associated with the beginning of celebrations. The formal part of the ceremony began with the intonation of anthems of Qatar and FIDE, followed by an artistic performance symbolizing the battle of black and white pieces on the chessboard. The president of the Qatar Chess Federation Mohammed Al Mudahka – the country’s first Grandmaster – greeted the guests and wish them a warm and pleasant experience in the country which proudly calls itself “the global capital of sport.” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich reminded that Doha was a successful host of the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in 2016, noting that FIDE was proud to return “to a country which supports chess,” pointing to events such as the Qatar Masters. He added that “chess has a home in Qatar,” and linked the message to the country’s heritage with the line that Qatar is “the pearl of the chess world.” Dvorkovich thanked the hosts, the Qatari Chess Federation and its president Mohammed Al Mudahka, for welcoming the chess community “with warmth and open arms”. Turning to the players, Dvorkovich said the World Rapid and Blitz “traditionally marks an exciting end to the year,” and that this edition should be no different. “I wish the players the best of luck, fair play, good games and great experiences here in Doha,” he said. “May the best player win and may the spirit of chess flourish.” The ceremonial opening concluded with Dvorkovich and Al Mudahka making symbolic first moves on a chessboard, before moving to the top-boards in the Open and the Women’s section. The first event to take place is the World Rapid Championship, with 300 players from all over the world are taking part. The World Rapid consists of 13 rounds in the Open and 11 in the Women’s event, with five and four rounds taking place on day one, respectively. The action can be followed live on the FIDE YouTube Channel, featuring expert commentary by GMs Maurice Ashley, Peter Leko and IM Jovanka Houska. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anna Shtourman and Lennart Ootes Official website: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/
Opening press conference sets the stage for 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships
The official opening press conference of the 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships was held on 25 December at the Rosewood Hotel in Doha, marking the formal start of one of the most closely followed events on the international chess calendar. The championships bring together the world’s leading players to compete for four world titles across rapid and blitz in both the Open and Women’s sections. The event will take place in Doha from December 26 to 30, and features a total prize fund of more than €1,000,000 across the Open and Women’s competitions. The Open Rapid Championship includes 251 players, while the Open Blitz Championship features 254 players. The Women’s events bring together a field of 142 players. The line-up includes reigning world champions, elite speed chess specialists, and leading contenders representing federations from around the world. The press conference opened with remarks from Arkady Dvorkovich, President of FIDE, who welcomed players and guests to Doha and thanked the hosts and partners for staging the event. “We are very pleased to be here in Doha, Qatar, just one day before the opening of the World Rapid and Blitz Championships,” he said. Praising the host city, he described Qatar as “a beautiful place with a rich and successful chess history” and noted that players “really love this place, which is why they have all come here to show their best qualities.” Placing the championships in the wider sporting context, Dvorkovich highlighted the strength of the season leading into Doha. “We are coming back from a few important events, including the World Cup and the Mahindra Global Chess League,” he said, adding that many of the same players are now competing for world titles. Looking ahead, he emphasised the growing role of fast chess, noting that “we expect a real fight and a lot of fun for spectators,” and that “looking ahead to the coming years, we will see more and more faster formats in chess.” He was followed by Mohammed Al-Mudahka, President of Qatar Chess, who welcomed the speakers, players, and media and highlighted the scale of the championships. “This championship has set a world record for participation,” he said. “We have almost 300 players competing across all formats.” Addressing the media, he added that the event offers “a very special opportunity to meet three reigning world champions” and concluded by noting that the tournament is “just one day away from what promises to be the very best World Rapid and Blitz Championship.” Attention then turned to the players, with reigning World Champion Gukesh D. sharing his thoughts ahead of the rapid and blitz competitions. Reflecting on his approach to the event, he said: “Playing well in any format is quite important, but in general, rapid and blitz have been slightly less of a priority for me than classical events.” He added that this allows him to approach the championships with freedom, explaining, “I am here to play, to experiment, to enjoy myself, and simply to play chess with the aim of learning and gaining experience.” Reigning Women’s World Champion and Women’s Blitz Champion Ju Wenjun also addressed the media, speaking about competing across formats. “There are three different formats in chess, and all of them are quite difficult to win,” she said, adding that “for me, rapid and blitz are more fun and more exciting.” Looking ahead to the event, she noted, “I am really looking forward to the tournament, and I hope I can play some very nice games.” Former World Champion Magnus Carlsen returns to Doha as the reigning co-Blitz Champion and attended the press conference alongside his family. Asked about becoming a father, Carlsen said, “I love being a husband and a father. It has been a fantastic experience this year.” He added with a smile that “neither my wife nor my son are too much of a help when it comes to chess advice yet,” before underlining his competitive focus: “I am here to win, as always. That does not change.” When questioned about his motivation for the event, Carlsen stated that he is competing to win, while also noting with a smile that there are expectations in Norway for him to provide good holiday entertainment. Overall, the players appeared in positive spirits heading into the championships. The press conference concluded with the traditional drawing of lots, conducted by Chief Arbiter Nebojsa Baralic, to determine the colours for the top-seeded players in both championships. The colours drawn will apply to the top board (board 1) and all odd-numbered boards in both the Rapid and Blitz Championships. As the top seed in the Open section, Magnus Carlsen drew the white pieces for the Rapid Championship and the black pieces for the Blitz, while Ju Wenjun drew the black pieces for the Rapid and the white pieces for the Blitz. The first games of the 2025 FIDE World Rapid Championship will be played on 26 December at the Sports and Events Complex at Qatar University, with both the Open and Women’s sections competing in the same playing hall. Spectators wishing to attend the event in person can purchase tickets via the official ticketing platform. The action can be followed live on the FIDE YouTube Channel, featuring expert commentary by GM Maurice Ashley, Peter Leko and IM Jovanka Houska. Written by Charlize van Zyl Photos: Lennart Ootes
Season’s greetings from FIDE President
Dear chess friends, As the year ends, I want to thank you for a remarkable 2025. The chess calendar was packed. From the Women’s Grand Prix series to the World Cup and the Grand Swiss to the Global Chess League, we saw our sport grow in every region. This success does not happen by magic. It happens because of you. Behind each of these events were people who worked hard to make them happen: the organisers, federation officials, arbiters, coaches, players, cohorts of volunteers and the members of the FIDE team. I am grateful for their trust, energy and support for chess and am confident that we are building a strong base for the growth our sport is experiencing. We also made progress off the board. We focused on inclusivity and education, and we held the Smart Moves Summit in Washington, where we joined together the worlds of chess and education. We strengthened our financial stability and increased support for players and federations. We secured new partners and projects, from India to Norway and around the world, who see the value in what we do. The coming year will bring more excitement – from the launch of the Total Chess Championship with Norway Chess, to the Candidates, world championship matches and the Olympiad – it will be another significant year for chess. I look forward to these and other projects, as we continue to spread chess around the world. Chess has always been and will continue to be a bridge between nations and cultures, uniting people regardless of differences. This is who we are – a global chess family that works together on sharing the beauty of our sport and on discovering new talents and future champions. I wish you and your close ones all the best in 2026. Best regards, Arkady Dvorkovich
Alpine SG Pipers defeat Triveni Continental Kings to emerge as new Tech Mahindra GCL Champions
In a dramatic final day in Mumbai, Alpine SG Pipers defeated defending champions Triveni Continental Kings in both rapid matches, with 4–2 and 4.5–1.5. In the match for third place, PBG Alaskan Knights emerged as winners, defeating Ganges Grandmasters in both blitz tiebreak matches following a 1–1 result in the rapid matches. The curtain came down on Season 3 of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, with players and teams fighting for their share of a one million dollar prize fund. After nine days of matches and festivities in Mumbai – this was the final act. The sunny weather and warm coastal breeze outside were in contrast with the tension on the podium inside the Royal Opera House. The first matchup of the day saw the team of PBG Alaskan Knights take on Ganges Grandmasters in the clash for third place. Ganges won the first rapid match, but then PBG struck back in the second. In the blitz tiebreak, Kateryna Lagno defeated Polina Shuvalova in both games, and Gukesh prevailed over Anand in the second game, clinching third place for PBG. The team that started Season 3 with four defeats, resurrected itself to third place in a stunning turn of fortune. The final saw Alpine SG Pipers beat defending champions Triveni Continental Kings in both rapid matches. The first match ended 4–2. In the second, where Triveni played with the white pieces, there was even more drama and tension. Despite an objection from Alireza Firouzja on the Icon board, who could not believe he had lost on time in a winning position against Fabiano Caruana, the result was crushing for Triveni – 4.5–1.5. Still, the champions conceded defeat with grace. After two seasons dominated by Triveni, who were again the favourites, the team of Alpine SG Pipers emerged as the new Champions of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League. Greeted by applause from the audience, Fabiano Caruana – Alpine SG’s Icon player – lifted the Tech Mahindra GCL Trophy – announcing the new champions of the League. The victors then emerged on the balcony of the Royal Opera House in Mumbai, to be greeted by cheers of fans, who came to witness a new chapter in chess history forged in India, by Indians. In the closing ceremony, the Chairman of the Mahindra Group – Anand Mahindra – announced that the fourth season of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League will run from September 2-13, 2026, with the location to be announced at a later stage. A resurrection for PBG PBG came back into season three from the edge of the abyss. From four consecutive losses at the start, they managed to climb back to the middle of the scoreboard and inch their way into the final stage. For the team of Ganges Grandmasters, the round-robin stage of the tournament was a mix of highs and lows. Their standout performer throughout the tournament was Javokhir Sinarov, the rising Uzbek star who recently won one of the toughest chess tournaments on the planet – the World Cup in Goa. Arjun Erigaisi was the most consistent performer for PBG, but it was their Icon board player Gukesh – the reigning world champion – who, despite having a tough tournament, delivered the crucial win in the final round of all-play-all, sending his team to the final stage. In the round-robin part of the event, PBG and Ganges had a victory each. Ganges Grandmasters crushed PBG Alaskan Knights 12 – 3 in their first meeting, and PBG hit back in the return match, winning 9 – 7. Overall in Game Points, Ganges scored 19 against PBG’s 12. This time around, there were no Game Points. The rules of the finals In the final stage of the tournament, the games were scored in the same way as in other chess tournaments: a victory is a full point, a draw is half a point each. The final was played as the best of two matches. A drawing of lots decided which team has White in the first match, and colours are reversed in the second. If the teams are tied after these two matches, they play a blitz playoff, again best of two, with three minutes plus two seconds per move and the same colour pattern. If it is still drawn, one board from one to six is chosen by lot and those two players play a sudden-death blitz game. If that game is drawn, new boards and colours are selected in turn and sudden-death games are repeated until there is a winner. Third place decided after blitz tiebreaks Ganges had White in the first rapid match. As the teams took their places on the podium, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich was invited to make the ceremonial first move in the Indian clash between the former world champion Vishy Anand and the current holder of the crown, Gukesh D. For most of the match, all boards were locked in close positions. The first big break came on board one, where Anand gained the upper hand against Gukesh. The world champion got into time trouble and, in a drawn endgame, made a critical error. He soon had to resign, giving Ganges a 1–0 lead. Within minutes, with all players in time trouble, several more games finished. Jakokhir Sindarov defeated Leinier Dominguez, while Polina Shuvalova checkmated Kateryna Lagno’s king in the center of the board, increasing the lead to 3–0. PBG countered on board two as Arjun Erigaisi beat Vincent Keymer. On the second women’s board, Sara Khadem converted a winning position against Stavroula Tsolakidou, bringing PBG back to 3 – 2. The last remaining game was the prodigy duel between Raunak Sadhwani and Daniel Dardha. For most of the game they were locked in an equal position, but in time trouble Dardha blundered, allowing Sadhwani to take over and win. The first match finished 4–2 – a commanding victory for Ganges. Still, PBG were no strangers to poor starts and big comebacks. With the return match coming up,