Zitat von Conrad Schormann am 18. September 2025, 16:04 Uhr

2025-09-18   FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025: 100 days to go chess.com über das neue Format der Blitz-WM   Doha gets ready to welcome the participants of the world’s fastest chess tournament for a spectacular end to the year. FIDE today announced the regulations for the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz, which will be held from 25 to 30 December and feature a one million euro prize fund. The World Rapid and Blitz traditionally take place in late December, offering a spectacular finale to the calendar year. Often referred to as the most exciting chess event closing the year, the tournament crowns the kings and queens of the game in its fastest formats. Top men and women from across the globe will gather for what promises to be a great chess spectacle hosted by Qatar – a nation which plays an increasingly prominent role on the global chess scene. “The World Rapid & Blitz has traditionally been one of FIDE’s most closely followed events globally, playing a key role in promoting chess to a broader audience,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said. “We’re planning every detail to make it a world-class event. We are very fortunate to have support from the Qatar Chess Association, which is working hard with FIDE to put on a great chess show at the end of this year, and we’re looking forward to it,” Dvorkovich added. Doha hosted the WRB Championships in 2016. With the World Rapid and Blitz returning to Qatar after nine years, expectations are high for a nation which has in recent years made significant strides in supporting and promoting chess, including the famous Qatar Masters and the most recent Qatar Rail Chess Open. “We are delighted to welcome the World Rapid and Blitz back to Doha. With the strong support we enjoy in Qatar and the excellent cooperation with FIDE, we have been able to move quickly on key preparations – ensuring the venue, hotels, and all organisational details are set to provide players and spectators alike, both onsite and online, with the highest level of comfort and an unforgettable experience. We believe this edition of the World Rapid and Blitz will serve as a cornerstone in further strengthening chess in Qatar and across the region, while also contributing to the game’s growing global popularity. This is only the beginning of greater achievements to come, and I am confident this will be an event to remember,” said Mohammed Al-Mudhahka, President of the Qatar Chess Association. The regulations for the 2025 World Rapid & Blitz, outlining all the necessary details regarding the most anticipated fast-paced chess tournament on the planet, can be found here: Open (PDF) Women’s (PDF)   Key highlights from the regulations: The format Werbung The format remains largely unchanged from 2024. The Rapid Championships will include 13 rounds in the Open and 11 in the Women’s tournament, played under the Swiss system and with the time control of 15 minutes and a 10-second increment per move. In the case of a tie for first place even after all tie-break criteria have been applied, the players will play a Blitz match to determine the champion, which can end in a sudden death game in case of further draws. If there are more than two players tied for first place after all tiebreak criteria have been applied, a knockout Blitz tournament will take place.

The World Blitz Championship will feature two stages. In the first stage a large Swiss system tournament will take place (19 rounds in the Open and 15 in the Women’s event). Then, in stage two, the top four players will advance to the knockouts which will consist 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.   Who can take part? The World Rapid & Blitz traditionally bring together all the best players in the world, in both the Open and the Women’s category. Traditionally, FIDE sets a threshold for players to be eligible to participate. This year, the threshold for the Open event is 2550 ELO points on any 2025 FIDE rating list. In the Women’s competition, the threshold sits at 2250 ELO points. Also, national champions (in any format – Standard, Rapid or Blitz) are eligible to take part. The regulations also include provisions for a “reasonable number” of players outside the qualifying criteria, who can be nominated by the FIDE President and the Organiser. The prize fund The total prize fund for the event is one million euros, split across the Open and the Women’s tournaments.

The prize fund for the Open event is 700,000 euros, split equally between Rapid and Blitz (350,000 euros each). The winner of the Open Rapid and the Open Blitz will get 70,000 euros each. The Women’s event features a total prize fund of 300,000 euros (150,000 euros each for the Rapid and the Blitz). The winner of the Women’s Rapid and the Women’s Blitz will get 40,000 euros each.

Player support The costs of travel and accommodation will be covered for all players in the Open section rated 2750 points and above, and players rated at least 2500 in the Women’s section. Also, gold, silver and bronze medallists from the 2024 World Rapid & Blitz will have their full accommodation covered, and they will be provided with a daily spending allowance.   Werbung Event schedule The opening ceremony and technical meeting will take place on 25th December. The World Rapid Championships will take place on the 26th, 27th and 28th December. The World Blitz Championships will take place on the 29th and 30th December. The games are scheduled to start each day at the same time – 2 PM. The Semi-finals in the Blitz are scheduled for 30th December at 5.30 PM, while the Finals will start at 7.15 PM. The closing ceremony will start at 9 PM on 30th December. Departures are scheduled for 31 December.

Zitat von Conrad Schormann am 20. November 2025, 13:47 Uhr

Keymer, Donchenko, Rasmus Svane, keine Frau - und Florian Grafl. Die FIDE teilt mit:

FIDE announces the list of players for the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz: A stellar lineup in Doha

• Thursday, 20 Nov 2025

World Champion Gukesh D and Magnus Carlsen join over 360 players who have confirmed their participation in the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship in Doha.

The event, which will take place from December 25 to 30, brings together a field featuring multiple world champions, most of the sport’s highest-rated competitors, and rising stars.

A total of 233 players registered for the Blitz Open and 230 for the Rapid. After missing out on the crown in the Rapid and sharing gold in the Blitz in the previous edition in New York, Magnus Carlsen – who this year became a father – returns to the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz. He will try to unseat the 2024 World Rapid champion, Volodar Murzin, who has had strong tournament performances throughout the year.

World Champion Gukesh D has also confirmed his attendance. His participation is expected to draw a lot of interest from the public. In particular, his superb result in Zagreb earlier this year indicates he will be one of the favorites in Rapid.

Many seasoned elite players such as 2024 World Blitz co-champion Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri, Wesley So, and  Levon Aronian have also confirmed their participation. Challenging them will be a new generation of contenders seeking to disrupt established hierarchies: Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa R, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, and Ediz Gürel to name just a few.

And of course, the public will be delighted to see legendary players like Alexander Grischuk, and Vasyl Ivanchuk, who actually won the World Rapid in Doha, back in 2016.

FIDE Women’s Rapid and Blitz will also see the best in the world taking part. Headlined by Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun, the competition will see 130 players, including heavyweights Zhu Jiner, Lei Tingjie, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Humpy Koneru and more. Anna Muzychuk – who won both the Women’s Rapid and Blitz in Doha in 2016 – will also be there, together with her sister, Mariya.

“The lineup shows the immense strength and magnetism of the World Rapid & Blitz,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said.

“We are pleased to see so many strong players in both the Open and the Women’s competition confirming they will take part. The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz is traditionally one of the most exciting and most watched chess events in the year, and we expect that tradition to continue. I’d like to thank the local organizing committee for sparing no effort in making it a great event,” Dvorkovich added.

“The field is tremendously strong, and it is going to be a real chess feast. Once again, FIDE managed to gather nearly all the world’s best players, and I am looking forward to a great sportive drama, fascinated both in my FIDE capacity, and as a life-time chess fan,” says FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky.

“Doha is now the only city to host the World Rapid & Blitz Championship twice, a milestone for chess and for sports in Qatar. It reflects our deep passion for the game and our commitment to delivering excellence. We are proud to welcome the world’s greatest players back to Doha, where ambition, tradition, and the future of our sport meet,” said Mohd Al-Mudahka, President of Qatar Chess Federation.

Taking place in Doha (Qatar) from December 25 to 30, the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship has a prize fund of over €1,000,000 spread across both the Open and the Women’s competitions. Doha last hosted the championship in 2016, when Vasyl Ivanchuk claimed the title in the Rapid section and Sergey Karjakin became the Blitz World Champion.

 

About the event

The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025 is taking place in Doha, Qatar from December 25 to 30, 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.

The full list of registered players can be found here:

Rapid Open: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/participants-rapid-open/

Rapid Women: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/participants-rapid-women/

Blitz Open: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/participants-blitz-open/

Blitz Women: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/participants-rapid-women/

For more information about the event, including media registration, please visit: https://worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/

Zitat von Conrad Schormann am 25. Dezember 2025, 20:20 Uhr

2025-12-25 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 26 to 30 December 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 Chess 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 Chess 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.   Written by Charlize van Zyl Photos: Lennart Ootes

Zitat von Conrad Schormann am 26. Dezember 2025, 22:45 Uhr

2025-12-26 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.

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 Zhu 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 Official website: worldrapidandblitz2025.fide.com/

Zitat von Conrad Schormann am 27. Dezember 2025, 11:35 Uhr

Schnellschach-WM in Katar startet – Carlsen vorne, deutscher Auftakt holprig

Quelle: ChessEcosystem.com – „Magnus diesmal mit vorne“, Thorsten Cmiel, Dezember 2025

Die Schnell- und Blitzweltmeisterschaften 2025 werden in Katar ausgetragen, den Auftakt macht das Schnellschach. In der offenen Klasse stehen 13 Runden an drei Tagen auf dem Programm, bei den Frauen elf Runden. Dort geht es zusätzlich um wertvolle Punkte für die Qualifikation zum Kandidatinnenturnier 2026.

https://chessecosystem.com/2025/12/27/magnus-diesmal-mit-vorne/

In der offenen Klasse gilt Magnus Carlsen erneut als Topfavorit. Nach dem Jeans-Skandal des Vorjahres, der in Katar zu seinem Ausstieg geführt hatte, ist der Norweger diesmal ohne Nebengeräusche am Start. Titelverteidiger ist allerdings Volodar Murzin, der wie fast 250 weitere Spieler gemeldet ist.

Aus deutscher Sicht fällt das Teilnehmerfeld ungewöhnlich klein aus. Nur Vincent Keymer, Rasmus Svane und Alexander Donchenko sind dabei, während Frederik Svane und Matthias Blübaum fehlen. Der Beitrag deutet an, dass dies bereits ein Fingerzeig auf mögliche Teamkonstellationen mit Blick auf das Kandidatenturnier 2026 in Zypern sein könnte. Der Start verlief für die Deutschen durchwachsen: Keymer kam nicht gut aus den ersten Runden und unterlief ihm in Runde fünf ein grober Einsteller.

Bei den Frauen ist das Feld mit 141 Spielerinnen stark besetzt, allerdings ohne deutsche Beteiligung. Titelverteidigerin ist Koneru Humpy. Im Fokus steht der offene letzte Qualifikationsplatz für das Kandidatinnenturnier. Besonders Bibisara Assaubayeva, Harika Dronavalli und mehrere chinesische Spielerinnen liegen aussichtsreich. Ein Turniersieg im Schnellschach bringt 84 Punkte und kann das Rennen noch komplett drehen.

Sportlich prägend waren am ersten Tag zahlreiche Zeitnotfehler – etwa bei R Praggnanandhaa und Vaishali, die beide klar gewonnene Stellungen noch verloren. Auch das unterstreicht den Charakter der Speed-WM: hohe Qualität, wenig Zeit – und kaum Raum für Fehler.

Zitat von Conrad Schormann am 27. Dezember 2025, 22:59 Uhr

2025-12-27 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 of the day. Playing as Black against Georgia’s Meri Arabidze, she ended in a lost rook endgame, which her opponent converted seamlessly. The Chinese player then recovered with victories in the following two games. In the final round of the day, Ju played as White against Bat-Erdene Mungunzul, a 300-point lower-rated player from Mongolia. In the Pirc, Ju achieved a winning position at some point but misplayed in time trouble and eventually lost.  With 4.5/8, Ju is far off the top.

Sunday will be the third and final day of the 2025 FIDE World Rapid. With four more rounds in the Open and three in the Women’s tournament, there is space for much to change in the rankings. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Anna Shtourman and Lennart Ootes

Zitat von Conrad Schormann am 29. Dezember 2025, 18:18 Uhr

2025-12-28 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