Chess world descends on London for FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships
London is set to host the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships from 10th to 16th June, bringing together top world players, chess legends and emerging talents. Launched in 2023 by The International Chess Federation (FIDE), the event has grown quickly, attracting companies and organisations from around the world that have assembled teams made up of players of all levels, from die-hard professionals to recreational enthusiasts. In 2024, the World Blitz Teams championship was added to the event, which resulted in more teams taking part and an increased prize pool. The third edition of the event will see 54 teams take part, with each numbering nine players, including one female player and one amateur (with a FIDE rating of under 2000 ELO). The total prize fund is €500,000 (£421,000), €310,000 will go to the Rapid tournament, €190,000 is earmarked for the Blitz. Who is playing? The lineup for the event includes many of the world’s top players, with 116 Grandmasters. The field is led by the WR Chess Team – winners of the 2023 Rapid and the 2024 Blitz Championship. Steered by the experienced German coach and GM, Jan Gustafsson, WR Chess has assembled the world’s strongest GMs. Starting with World No 2 rated Hikaru Nakamura (pictured below), WR Chess also has Alireza Firouzja, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Wesley So, Jan-Krzysztof Duda as well as former women’s world champions, Alexandra Kosteniuk and Hou Yifan. For the third year in a row, team owner Wadim Rosenstein will take charge of the non-professional board. With an average rating of nearly 2700, they are the absolute favourites. Photo: Michal Walusza Hexamind, a new entrant, fields chess heavyweights such as Levon Aronian, Leinier Dominguez Perez, Anish Giri and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi. The team has focused on the future of chess, with the inclusion of 18-year-old Volodar Murzin (who won the 2024 World Rapid Chess Championship) and brothers Platon (9) and Mark (5) Panarin. KazChess from Kazakhstan has Richard Rapport, Alexander Grischuk and Parham Maghsoodloo on the top three boards, while Freedom – who won second place in the 2023 Rapid – will have the former world champion Vishwanathan Anand on board one. Captained by GM Emil Sutovsky, the team also includes Le Quang Liem, Samuel Sevian, Rauf Mamedov and former women’s world Rapid and Blitz champion, Anna Muzychuk (pictured below). Photo: Mark Livshitz Team MGD1, a strong contender in the previous two editions (securing third place in 2023), has restructured to adopt a more international lineup. While Arjun Erigaisi is still on board one, with Pentala Harikrishna on board two, Spain’s David Anton is on board three while Stavroula Tsolakidou from Greece is on the women’s board. Another strong contender is the team of Uzbekistan, fielding the strongest Uzbek players – Abdusattorov, Sindarov and Kasimdzhanov. Other world-class players participating in the event include former world champion candidate Boris Gelfand, England’s 2700-player Luke McShane as well as former world champion candidate Nigel Short and world-class players, Alexei Shirov and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. The schedule: First the Rapid, then the Blitz The event will start on Wednesday, 11th June, with the World Rapid Teams Championship. The 12-round Swiss tournament will span three days, with four rounds played daily, and a time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. Then, the World Blitz Teams will then take place – on 14-15th June, featuring a two-phase structure: a round-robin group stage followed by knockouts. The teams will be divided into pools of approximately the same strength, with 16 squads qualifying for the knockout stage. The time control in the Blitz is sharp: three minutes for the whole game, with a two-second increment per move. A step in the right direction The London event follows successful editions in Düsseldorf (2023) and Astana (2024). “FIDE and our partners are proud to bring the third edition of the World Rapid and Blitz Teams tournament to London, an important global hub for chess. After the Global Chess League in October 2024, this is another major international chess event we are hosting in London,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said. “With nearly 60 teams – not just from chess organisations but also private companies – taking part, this event is a step in the right direction to promote chess globally and build bridges among people”, Dvorkovich added. How to watch/attend The event will be streamed live on FIDE’s YouTube channel with expert commentary by GMs Daniel King and Jovanka Houska, while tickets for the rounds can be purchased here: tickets.fide.com/. The tournament is taking place in Novotel London West, located in Hammersmith in West London. Official website: worldrapidblitzteams2025.fide.com/
Serbian Championship: Ivan Ivanisevic and Sofia Pogorelskikh win titles
GM Ivan Ivanisevic and IM Sofia Pogorelskikh are the new champions of Serbia. Ivanisevic claimed his fifth national crown, while Pogorelskikh earned her first. The open and women’s events—both round-robins with classical time control—were held simultaneously from May 31 to June 6, but in different cities: Pirot and Palic, respectively. Second seed Ivanisevic delivered a solid performance, pulling away after scoring three consecutive victories in Rounds 5–7. Heading into the final round half a point ahead of GM Suat Atalik (whom he had defeated in their direct encounter), he drew with GM Misa Pap to finish with 6.5/9. Meanwhile, Atalik defeated Andrei Gaivoronkii in the last round to catch up with the leader. Ivanisevic and Atalik tied for first place, but Ivanisevic secured the title thanks to a superior tiebreak (Koya system). Notably, he was the only unbeaten player in the tournament. Top seed Robert Marcus completed the podium, taking bronze. Final standings – Open The women’s event was a fiercely contested competition. Suffice it to say, even the champion, Sofia Pogorelskikh, lost two games. To her credit, she compensated with five victories and finished clear first, half a point ahead of 2024 champion WGM Irina Chelushkina and 2023 champion WGM Marina Gajcin, who tied for second place. The Koya system favored Chelushkina, who took silver, while Gajcin settled for bronze. Final standings – Women Photos: Šahovski Savez Srbije
Magnus Carlsen and Anna Muzychuk triumph at Norway Chess 2025
Magnus Carlsen has taken his seventh Norway Chess title after a thrilling final round, while the last-year runner-up Anna Muzychuk won the Norway Chess Women 2025. The 13th edition of this prestigious competition took place in Stavanger, Norway, from May 26 to June 6. Both tournaments were 6-player double-round robins with equal prize funds. Each round consisted of a classical game, with a win worth 3 points and a loss – 0. In the case of a draw, the players played an Armageddon game, where the winner scored 1½ points, and the loser got just 1 point, with a draw favouring Black. Norway Chess 2025 proved to be fiercely competitive, with no player finishing the event unbeaten. Heading into the final round, Magnus Carlsen held a half-point lead over Gukesh D and was paired against Arjun Erigaisi, while Gukesh faced Fabiano Caruana. Carlsen found himself in a lost position with Black in a Queen’s Gambit Declined, but the momentum shifted quickly. With only seconds remaining on his clock, he took a draw—seemingly enough to secure the title, as Caruana held a winning position against Gukesh. However, a dramatic twist followed: Caruana blundered, equalizing the game, but Gukesh erred just two moves later and capitulated soon. With these results, Magnus Carlsen clinched his seventh title, while Fabiano Caruana leapfrogged Gukesh D and finished second. The World Champion had to settle for third place. Norway Chess 2025 – Final Standings: 1 Magnus Carlsen NOR 16 2 Fabiano Caruana USA 15½ 3 Gukesh Dommaraju IND 14½ 4 Hikaru Nakamura USA 14 5 Arjun Erigaisi IND 13 6 Wei Yi CHN 9½ Anna Muzychuk, the only undefeated player in the women’s event, was in command throughout and came to the final round two points ahead of Humpy Koneru. She made draws in both classical and Armageddon against GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, and secured the title, as Koneru drew her classical game with Ju Wenjun as well. Meanwhile, Lei Tingjie won on demand with Black against Sara Khademalshariehin and overtook Koneru to take second place. Norway Chess Women 2025 – Final Standings: 1 Anna Muzychuk UKR 16½ 2 Lei Tingjie CHN 16 3 Humpy Koneru IND 15 4 Ju Wenjun CHN 13½ 5 Vaishali Rameshbabu IND 11 6 Sarasadat Khademalsharieh ESP 9 Photos: Norway Chess / Roza Czarnota and Michal Walusza Official website: https://norwaychess.no/en/
FIDE Grand Swiss 2025: Lists of qualified players announced
The 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss and Women’s Grand Swiss will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 3–16, 2025. This marks the first time the prestigious event will be held in Uzbekistan, a country with a rich chess heritage and a rapidly growing influence in the global chess community. As one of the most significant events in the chess calendar, the FIDE Grand Swiss offers players a direct pathway to the Candidates Tournament. The top two finishers in the Grand Swiss will secure spots in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, while the top two players in the Women’s Grand Swiss will qualify for the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament. In addition to its importance as a qualifier, the event will feature an increased prize fund. The Open prize fund has been boosted from $460,000 to $625,000—a 36% increase—while the Women’s prize fund sees an even larger jump, from $140,000 to $230,000, up 64%. Both tournaments will follow an 11-round Swiss format, with 170 players participating from across the globe: 114 in the Grand Swiss and 56 in the Women’s Grand Swiss. So far, 100 players have qualified for the 2025 Grand Swiss by rating, while the Women’s Grand Swiss has 44 qualifiers. Only players who played at least 30 rated games are eligible. The final lists of participants will be confirmed after Continent spots, players nominated by the FIDE President and players nominated by the Organiser are announced. Qualified players – Open https://grandswiss2025.fide.com/open-event-participants/ Qualified players – Women https://grandswiss2025.fide.com/women-event-participants/ Official website: grandswiss2025.fide.com/
World IPCA Individual Championship 2025: Registration now open
The Chess Federation for Physically Disabled (CFPD), in collaboration with the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Dept. of EPWD), Goa Chess Association for Persons with Disabilities (GCAPD), and under the auspices of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), Asian Chess Federation (ACF), International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) and FIDE, invites all national chess federations to participate in the Goa Purple – 24th World IPCA Individual Chess Championship. Championship details: Dates: July 21-31, 2025 Venue: International Centre Goa, Dona Paula, India Eligibility: Players with physical disabilities of 50% or higher, representing their national chess federations/associations Total prize fund: USD 15,000 Tournament Format: The championship will feature three competition categories: Standard: 90 minutes + 30-second increment Rapid:15 minutes + 10-second increment Blitz: 5 minutes + 3-second increment All events will follow a 9-round Swiss system. World IPCA Individual Chess Championship 2025 Schedule: Registration: National federations must complete the official registration form Deadline: June 30, 2025 (for players and accompanying persons) Submit to: divyangchess@gmail.com and divyangchessgoa@gmail.com Three best federations overall, by ranking of medals collected in all categories among men, women, juniors and girls, will receive trophies. For ranking, the number of gold medals will be considered first, and if there is a tie, then the number of silver medals, and if there is still a tie, then the number of bronze medals. Invitation letter, regulations, prizes (PDF)
FIDE Circuit 2025: Praggnanandhaa extends lead; Giri enters top 3
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu solidified his lead in the FIDE Circuit 2025 with a strong showing at the Superbet Chess Classic Romania, where he triumphed over Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in a tiebreaker, earning 23.9 points. The French GM collected 20.64 points, climbing to sixth place. Ding Liren remains in second position, despite not having played a single tournament counting toward the FIDE Circuit leaderboard this year. Significant changes occurred just below the top duo in May. Anish Giri, winner of the Sharjah Masters, gained 20.94 points and surged into third place, now trailing Ding by just two points. Newly crowned Asian Champion Bardiya Daneshvar earned 14.49 circuit points, moving up to fourth place, while the runner-up Nihal Sarin collected 12.96 points, breaking into the top 10. Aleksandar Indjic picked up a total of 25.83 circuit points thanks to his first-place finish at the Baku Open and second place at the Sharjah Masters. Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s third-place result in Sharjah (13.8 points) propelled him into fifth place in the race. Reigning European Champion Matthias Bluebaum rounds out the top ten after taking silver in the 2025 German Championship (10.93 points). We maintain a dedicated page on our website for the FIDE Circuit 2025, featuring the latest information on eligible tournaments, current standings, and regulations. Visit: FIDE Circuit 2025
Kazybek Nogerbek and Elnaz Kaliyahmet crowned new champions of Kazakhstan
Kazybek Nogerbek and Elnaz Kaliyahmet emerged as the winners of the 2025 Kazakhstan Championship, each claiming their maiden national titles. Notably, both champions completed their tournaments unbeaten. The 2025 Kazakhstan Championships (Open and Women’s sections) took place in the capital, Astana, from May 21 to June 1. Both competitions, featuring a total prize fund of 20 million tenge (approximately USD 39,150), were 14-player round-robin tournaments played under classical time control. The Open event turned into an exciting race between the two top seeds, Kazybek Nogerbek and Denis Makhnev. Both started strong and seized the lead early on, but in Round 8, Makhnev suffered a setback, losing to IM Abilmansur Abdilkhair and falling behind. Heading into the final (13th) round, Nogerbek held a half-point lead over his main rival. He opted for a quick draw, while Makhnev scored a crucial win over FM Yerlan Tleukhanov, tying for first place. A tiebreaker was played to determine the champion, where Kazybek Nogerbek ultimately prevailed in the decisive Armageddon game to capture the title. IM Aldiyar Ansat completed the podium, taking bronze. Final Standings – Open In the Women’s event, 14-year-old Elnaz Kaliyahmet delivered an impressive performance, scoring 10/14 to finish clear first. She became the youngest champion in the history of Kazakhstan, breaking a record that had stood since 1998. Zaroma Nurgalieva gave the young champion a strong challenge but, but lost two games at the start and finished half a point behind Kaliyahmet. Top seed Meruert Kamalidenova secured the bronze medal. Final Standings – Women Photos: Kazakhstan Chess Federation
FIDE June 2025 rating list is out
The June 2025 FIDE rating list was primarily shaped by results from the final leg of the Women’s Grand Prix in Austria, the Asian Championship, the GCT Superbet Chess Classic Romania, the 8th Sharjah Masters, and the Mitropa Cup. There were no significant changes in the Open top 10, but just outside it, Anish Giri climbed six places following his victory at the Sharjah Open, returning to the world’s top 12 after more than a year. Photo: Przemek Nikiel The women’s top 10 saw more notable shifts. Zhu Jiner, who shared first place in the WGP Austria, reached a new career high and is now ranked #4 among women. Bibisara Assaubayeva, soon to be awarded the GM title after her strong performance in the 8th Sharjah Masters, hit a career-high rating of 2509, making her debut in the women’s top 10. Biggest gains in the top 100 Open and Women Ouellet, Maili-Jade WGM 2350 (+45) Balabayeva, Xeniya WGM 2352 (+41) Bodnaruk, Anastasia IM 2357 (+25) Indjic, Aleksandar GM 2661 (+24) Klek, Hanna Marie WGM 2344 (+22) Manko, Mariia WIM 2354 (+20) Daneshvar, Bardiya GM 2640 (+19) Yip, Carissa IM 2431 (+19) Assaubayeva, Bibisara IM 2509 (+15) Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime GM 2736 (+13) Maili-Jade Ouellet of Canada (pictured below) was the top overperformer in May, gaining 45 rating points after finishing second in the Sophia Spring Open tournament. Photo: Anna Shtourman Close behind her in the list of biggest rating gains is Xeniya Balabayeva from Kazakhstan, who tied for first place in the 2025 Asian Women’s Championship but missed the podium due to inferior tiebreaks. Still, she gained an impressive 41 points, reached a career high, and entered the top 100 Women for the first time. The winner of the open section in the Asian Championship, Bardiya Daneshvar gained 19 points, debuting in the top 100 Open. GM Aleksandar Indjić (pictured below) had an excellent May as well, earning 24 points thanks to his victory at the Baku Open and a third-place finish at the 8th Sharjah Masters. Photo: Azerbaijan Chess Federation Hanna Marie Klek tied for first place in the German Women’s Championship, adding 22 rating points, while Carissa Yip’s third-place finish in the 2025 Spring Chess Classic (Group B) brought her 19 points. Mariia Manko (pictured below) shone in the 2025 Mitropa Cup, collecting 20 rating points. The Ukrainian native was one of the top scorers in the women’s competition, making a significant contribution to Switzerland’s gold-medal victory. Photo: Tomáš Danada Finally, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who lost on tiebreak to Praggnanandhaa R after tying for first at the GCT Superbet Chess Classic Romania, likely found some consolation in gaining 13 rating points and returning to the top 20 Open.
American Continental Championship 2025: Sam Shankland captures title
GM Sam Shankland (USA) emerged as the winner of the American Continental Chess Championship 2025, claiming the title on superior tiebreak after finishing in a seven-way tie for first place. The 2025 edition of the American Continental Chess Championship took place in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, from May 23–31. The 11-round Swiss tournament, played with classical time control, brought together 218 participants from 17 countries, including 21 grandmasters. The event awarded four qualification spots for the 2025 FIDE World Cup, scheduled for October. It was a fiercely contested tournament, with multiple players sharing the top position throughout. Heading into the final round, top seed Shankland, along with José Eduardo Martínez Alcántara, Alexandr Fier, and Luis Paulo Supi, led the field with 8/10, closely followed by eight players just half a point behind. After the top boards ended in draws, Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra, Santiago Ávila Pavas, and José Gabriel Cardoso Cardoso scored crucial wins, catching up to the leaders. As a result, seven players ultimately tied for first place, with Shankland (gold), Martínez Alcántara (silver), and Fier (bronze) reaching the podium based on the Buchholz tiebreak. Final standings: 1 GM Shankland, Sam USA 2666 8½ 2 GM Martinez Alcantara, Jose MEX 2611 8½ 3 GM Fier, Alexandr BRA 2556 8½ 4 GM Cardoso Cardoso, Jose COL 2516 8½ 5 GM Henriquez Villagra, Cristobal CHI 2597 8½ 6 GM Supi, Luis Paulo BRA 2566 8½ 7 GM Avila Pavas, Santiago COL 2469 8½ 8 GM Bachmann, Axel PAR 2570 8 9 IM Rojas Salas, Steven PER 2343 8 10 GM Oparin, Grigoriy USA 2660 8 Complete final standings Photos: FIDE América
Inaugural Continental Chess Championships for Prisoners conclude with global participation
The First Continental Chess Championships for Prisoners took place from May 13 to 23, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the FIDE Chess for Freedom initiative. Held for the first time on a continental level, the event brought together 77 teams from across the globe, offering incarcerated individuals a unique opportunity to compete in an organized, high-level chess environment. Organized under the auspices of FIDE, the championships showcased the growing impact of chess programs in correctional facilities around the world. The tournament was run by a team of experienced officials: International Arbiter Nebojsa Baralic from Serbia served as Chief Arbiter, Ana Srebrnic from Slovenia as Deputy Arbiter, and Sabrina de San Vicente from Uruguay as Chief Fair Play Officer. The event was organized by International Organizer Mikhail Korenman from Chicago, whose dedication helped bring this ambitious project to life. Africa The African Continental Championship was the first to be held, featuring 11 teams from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, and Ghana where Zimbabwe secured first place in both the Open and Women’s sections. Zimbabwe has consistently performed at the highest level in Chess for Freedom events, having participated in every edition over the past four years and earning a silver medal at the inaugural Intercontinental Championship in 2021. With strong support from the National Chess Federation, Zimbabwe remains a dominant force on the African continent. In Ghana, a thriving program led by David Acheampong made a significant impact, fielding three youth teams that placed first and third. Kenya’s representation included both female and youth teams, reflecting the country’s growing commitment to the Chess for Freedom initiative. Special recognition goes to the Malawi Chess for Freedom program, which is supported by the nonprofit organization Gift of Chess. Through its partnership with the Malawi National Prison Services, the program has expanded into correctional institutions nationwide. Malawi earned second place across all three categories; Open, Women, and Youth, demonstrating remarkable progress, thanks in large part to the efforts of Susan Namangale, who leads the initiative both in Malawi and across the continent. Americas The American Continental Championship featured 19 teams from across the Americas. El Salvador’s Men’s and Women’s teams continued their stellar form from 2024 where they were podium finishers in the Intercontinental event, by winning first place in both sections. Colombia took home the bronze medal in the Open section. Trinidad and Tobago fielded teams in all three categories and triumphed in the Youth section. The US women’s team, with a growing Chess for Freedom program in Kansas, took second place. Mexico, which recently concluded its own National Championship for Prisoners with 17 participating teams, and also hosted a workshop to introduce the Chess for Freedom program to other Latin American countries, secured third place in the women’s section. Europe Europe was represented by 24 teams, the largest contingent of any continent. Serbia’s strong national team emerged victorious in the Open section, followed by Armenia. In the Women’s section, Ukraine secured first place, with Latvia and Slovenia earning podium finishes. The Youth section saw England come out on top, trailed by Ukraine and Latvia. Australia Two closely matched teams from the Australian continent competed head-to-head throughout the tournament, with the more experienced Australian team ultimately claiming the continental title. Asia In Asia, Mongolia dominated the Open section, with India and Iran rounding out the top three. The Indian women’s teams led the Women’s section, while Kyrgyzstan secured third place. In another victory repeat from the 2024 Intercontinental Championships, India took both top spots in the Youth section. The Iranian youth team took third place. The First Continental Chess Championships for Prisoners marked a significant step forward in FIDE’s mission to promote chess as a tool for social development and rehabilitation. By providing incarcerated individuals with a platform for high-level competition, the championships demonstrated the unifying and transformative power of the game. With momentum building, all attention now turns to the Fifth Intercontinental Chess Championship for Prisoners, scheduled for October 14–16, 2025.