FIDE World Blitz Chmp.: Magnus Carlsen and Bibisara Assaubayeva World Champions

Lichess Coverage

As usual, the games will be broadcast live daily on Lichess, with key updates across our social media channels, including daily interviews on YouTube with players on-site in Doha by IM Laura Unuk.

Interviews

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54-aT1uC4Tg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eW1zEpxeS0

Check out our other interviews from the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz 2025!

Overview

With a total prize fund of over €1 million, it’s no surprise that the best in the world will be playing. Aside from just prize money, this annual adrenaline-filled event also gives two Open & Women's World Championship titles across 5 days of high-octane play.

Format

The Rapid tournament will be played as a Swiss, with 13 rounds in the Open and 11 rounds in the Women's event. The time control is 15 minutes with a 10-second increment.

The Blitz tournament consists of two stages: a Swiss qualifier, with 19 rounds in the Open and 15 rounds in the Women's event, followed by the 4-player knockout finals to crown the new Open and Women's World Blitz Champions. The time control is 3 minutes with a 2-second increment.

Schedule

Open Overview

GM Magnus Carlsen is the 2025 World Blitz Champion after finishing third in the Swiss and proceeding to defeat GM Fabiano Caruana in the semi-finals and GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the finals, who had earlier defeated GM Arjun Erigaisi in the semi-finals.

Open Standings After Round 19

Open Rounds 14–17

Round 14

GM Magnus Carlsen resigns against GM Haik M. Martirosyan; photo: Lennart Ootes

The game of the round was GM Haik M. Martirosyan's game against GM Magnus Carlsen, but not because of any tactical or positional brilliancies on the board. Carlsen was better and actually winning for most of the game, using the Pirc Defense to great effect, but in trying to push for the win when the position had become equal later on, Carlsen suffered from the same issue he had on day 1: he knocked over pieces. This time, he knocked over almost half the board and did not have enough time to set the pieces back up; the game was ruled a loss as Carlsen pushed the clock before setting up all the pieces, indicating that he would have flagged anyway had he tried to put them all back on their correct spots.

GM Fabiano Caruana eschewed the most theoretical lines of GM Alexander Grischuk's enterprising Sicilian Dragon, choosing a calm, positional setup which gave him a large advantage. After some adventures, Caruana was able to win with a strong attack. On board 3, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave did not choose his pet Sicilian Najdorf, instead going for 1...e5 against GM Baadur Jobava's 1. e4. Vachier-Lagrave grabbed a pawn in the middlegame and never looked back.

Round 15

GM Magnus Carlsen needed to grab win after win to remain in contention, and his dismantling of GM Rudik Makarian's French Defense put him on the right track. Meanwhile, GM Arjun Erigaisi must have soured GM Haik M. Martirosyan's mood as he won with a Colle-Zukertort-esque opening, gradually improving his position and winning Martirosyan's pawns. On board 5, GM Daniil Dubov's Exchange Slav against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov was not a mere meek draw offer as the game remained complicated. Dubov evaluated a particular sequence of trades starting on move 18 better than Abdusattorov, grabbing an advantage which only snowballed. Another drawish opening which saw a decisive result was the Spanish Variation of the Four Knights Game, which was played by GM Praggnanadhaa R against GM Yu Yangyi. Praggnanandhaa was winning at multiple points of the game, but as the position became slightly worse for him, he blundered abruptly, losing an exchange and the game. GM Lu Shanglei played a very impressive Scotch Game against GM Raunak Sadhwani, winning a miniature in just 16 moves, while GM Baadur Jobava bounced back from his loss against GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave by defeating his compatriot, GM Alireza Firouzja, in a topsy-turvy game where Firouzja was completely winning.

Round 16

GM Magnus Carlsen continued to surge, winning an equal endgame for the umpteenth time in his career. GM Bu Xiangzhi had not lost a game by that point, and had he spotted the Nf1+ fork, he might have kept up his streak. With quick draws on board 2 between GM Yu Yangyi and GM Fabiano Caruana and board 4 between GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and GM Daniil Dubov, GM Arjun Erigaisi was not interested in any tame result against GM Lu Shanglei, playing an endgame with impeccable precision.

Round 17

GM Arjun Erigaisi was once again not interested in drawing his games, using the Sicilian Defense to great effect against GM Javokhir Sindarov.

Just as in the round prior, GM Magnus Carlsen also played impressively in the endgame, choosing the aptly-named Caro-Kann Defense, Endgame Variation against GM Ihor Samunenkov, who had just defeated GM Lê Quang Liêm in the previous round. GM Daniil Dubov tried to push his advantage against GM Fabiano Caruana, but was ultimately unsuccessful, while GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda's game against GM Maxime-Vachier Lagrave was similarly drawn and equal, but also not granted.

GM Arjun Erigaisi; photo: Anna Shtourman

Open Round 18

Standings after round 17

GM Arjun Erigaisi used his pet h3-g4 line against the King's Indian Defense to win again, this time defeating renowned King's Indian Defense expert GM Teimour Radjabov.

GM Magnus Carlsen grabbed a very important win against GM Maxime-Vachier Lagrave, staying in contention for the Finals and making Vachier-Lagrave's path to the Finals much more difficult.

With a calm draw between GM Fabiano Caruana and GM Haik M. Martirosyan, GM Nihal Sarin put his fate into his own hands as he won using a rare variation of the Sicilian Defense against GM Daniil Dubov.

Open Round 19

Standings after round 18

Going into the final round, only GM Arjun Erigaisi was guaranteed a spot in the finals. The only win on the top five boards came from GM Fabiano Caruana, whose knight outmaneuvered GM Aram Hakobyan's bishop in an endgame.

Trag(icomedy in the endgame)edy struck on GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's board as he had a completely winning king and pawn endgame against GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. With all the other top boards being drawn (board 1 between GM Magnus Carlsen and GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, board 2 between GM Nihal Sarin and GM Arjun Erigaisi, and board 5 between GM Daniil Dubov and GM Teimour Radjabov), the win would have secured Vachier-Lagrave's spot in the Finals. Alas, he missed the Finals by just 2.5 Buchholz points.

From left to right, GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and GM Fabiano Caruana, smiling as they look at the big screen where games and results are featured; photo: Lennart Ootes

Open Semi-Finals: GM Magnus Carlsen vs. GM Fabiano Caruana

Games 1 & 2

In game 1, GM Fabiano Caruana played a complicated Siclian Defense game against GM Magnus Carlsen, where both players had their chances, so a draw was the fair result. Game 2 showed a similar pattern, with even less chances for both sides, and Carlsen choosing the Nimzo-Larsen Attack, paying tribute to Danish GM Bent Larsen.

Game 3

Caruana's rare 2. d3 after 1. e4 e5 worked out reasonably well as he achieved his goal of getting a non-theoretical game; however, Carlsen had achieved an ideal endgame position, where only he could press for more. With the knight hopping around, Caruana soon had to resign after the rook endgame transition did not work in his favor.

Game 4

Caruana needed to win to send the match into the Armageddon tiebreaks, but that was not even remotely possible as Caruana slowly got outplayed, with Carlsen playing a model Sicilian game.

Open Semi-Finals: GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov vs. GM Arjun Erigaisi

Game 1

Similar to the round 15 game between Dubov and Abdusattorov, GM Arjun Erigaisi and GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov played an Exchange Slav. Arjun was better at some point, but the game quickly turned equal and Abdusattorov outplayed Arjun after Arjun's aggressive piece placement on the kingside turned out to be a paper tiger.

Game 2

Abdusattorov was slightly to quite a bit worse against Arjun after he did not find the only move in the position on move 13, 13. Bxh6!!, a stunning bishop sacrifice that is, of course, extremely difficult to play, especially given the match situation. Arjun did not find the best way to apply pressure, and yet again after equality had been reached, Abdusattorov got the better of Arjun, using his king masterfully in the endgame.

Game 3

Just as the previous match, in a must-win situation, Arjun did not get much of a game against Abdusattorov's Slav Defense, having to settle for a move repetition after he was lost for almost half of the game.

Open Finals: GM Magnus Carlsen vs. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov

GM Magnus Carlsen vs. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, with many photographers present; photo: Lennart Ootes

Game 1

GM Magnus Carlsen started off the match by pressing a slightly better position against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, but Abdusattorov was defending tenaciously and was never significantly worse. In a knight vs. bishop endgame, it was Abdusattorov's bishop which was more superior, and Carlsen missed a couple of chances to get back into the game and lost a tough endgame.

Game 2

Game 2 was very staid, eventually reaching an equal endgame after Abdusattorov had slight chances to push for more much earlier on in the early middlegame. A 3 kingside pawns + 1 queenside pawn knight endgame was soon on the board, and after the transformation to a 2 kingside pawns + 1 queenside pawn knight endgame, Carlsen won after Abdusattorov put his king on the wrong square.

Game 3

Game 3 saw a very quiet Rapport-Jobava opening from Carlsen, who must have had fond memories of this opening, where Abdusattorov played a nice rook sacrifice to achieve perpetual check.

Game 4

The match seemed to be headed toward an Armageddon as the game looked completely equal and Abdusattorov was even practically pressing for a bit. In a sudden turn of events, though, Carlsen was the one who was pressing, and despite the endgame being theoretically drawn, Carlsen was able to win after Abdusattorov blundered with 60. Bc1??, allowing 60...e3!!.

GM Magnus Carlsen wins his ninth World Blitz Championship as GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov resigns; photo: Lennart Ootes

Women's Overview

GM Bibisara Assaubayeva is the 2025 Women's World Blitz Champion after finishing first in the Swiss and proceeding to defeat GM Zhu Jiner in the semi-finals and GM Anna Muzychuk in the finals, who had earlier defeated IM Eline Roebers in the semi-finals.

Women's Standings After Round 15

Women's Rounds 11–13

Round 11

GM Bibisara Assaubayeva continued rising up the ranks, defeating GM Aleksandra Goryachkina in a back-and-forth Italian Game. IM Leya Garifullina profited off a one-move piece blunder by WIM Zarina Nurgaliyeva, while GM Valentina Gunina won a very chaotic game against GM Elina Danielian. Board 1 between IM Eline Roebers and WIM Umida Omonova, board 3 between GM Antoaneta Stefanova and IM Song Yuxin, and board 5 between GM Anna Muzychuk and IM Carissa Yip all were drawn.

Round 12

IM Eline Roebers continued showing great form, using the King's Indian Defense to emerge victorious against GM Antoaneta Stefanova. GM Bibisara Assaubayeva kept her surge going, defeating WIM Umida Omonova in the Sicilian Defense. GM Valentina Gunina activated her pieces well, winning quickly against IM Leya Garifullina, while GM Anna Muzychuk won against WGM Candela Be Francisco Guecamburu, keeping her in contention for the Finals.

Round 13

Standings after round 12

In a wild and critical game for the standings, GM Bibisara Assaubayeva got the best of IM Eline Roebers, while GM Valentina Gunnina won against WGM Alua Nurman in a complicated endgame that arose from the Sicilian Defense. The other top five boards — GM Aleksandra Goryachkina vs. IM Carissa Yip (game), GM Anna Muzychuk vs. IM Song Yuxin (game), and WIM Bat-Erdene Mungunzul vs. GM Antoaneta Stefanova (game) — were drawn, while WIM Umida Omonova defeated GM Divya Deshmukh in a one-sided game, and so too did GM Zhu Jiner against WGM Candela Be Francisco Guecamburu.

Women's Round 14

Standings after round 13

GM Valentina Gunina opened up the tournament with an emphatic win against GM Bibisara Assaubayeva, with GM Zhu Jiner also doing the same by defeating IM Eline Roebers. IM Leya Garifullina won a lopsided game against WIM Umida Omonova, with GM Anna Muzychuk also moving up the ladder with a win against WIM Bat-Erdene Mungunzul in a Bird-esque treatment of the Pirc Defense.

Women's Round 15

Standings after round 14

In a heartbreaking game that saw GM Valentina Gunina, the tournament's sole leader after 14 rounds, not qualify for the Finals, GM Anna Muzychuk was able to pick up a piece with a tactic after she was in a completely lost position against Gunina.

GM Zhu Jiner qualified to the Finals with a crucial victory against IM Song Yuxin.

IM Eline Roebers also got into the Finals with a topsy-turvy game against IM Leya Garifullina.

Women's Semi-Finals: GM Bibisara Assaubayeva vs. GM Zhu Jiner

Game 1

GM Bibisara Assaubayeva had achieved equality, and perhaps a bit more, against GM Zhu Jiner's Delayed Alapin, but then she was suddenly winning as Zhu blundered a backrank-based tactic.

Game 2

Assaubayeva made accurate use of her fianchettoed light-squared bishop, probing Zhu's position on the light squares and soon enough coaxing Zhu to sacrifice an exchange for insufficient compensation.

Game 3

With Zhu needing to win two in a row to force the match to go to the Armageddon tiebreaks, the match ended abruptly as Zhu looked to be close to winning, but blundered an entire knight on move 36.

GM Anna Muzychuk and GM Zhu Jiner sharing smiles; photo: Lennart Ootes

Women's Semi-Finals: GM Anna Muzychuk vs. IM Eline Roebers

Game 1

IM Eline Roebers continued playing unorthodox openings, choosing with White a reverse Philidor setup known as the Inverted Hanham. At some point, GM Anna Muzychuk's knights seemed to be better than Roebers's bishop pair, and after some back-and-forth blunders and mistakes, it was indeed Muzychuk who emerged victorious.

Games 2 & 3

IM Eline Roebers with GM Anna Muzychuk in the background; photo: Lennart Ootes

Muzychuk had a large advantage, perhaps a winning one, against Roebers, but ultimately she could not convert her position to a win.

Roebers was able to bounce back with a spectacular Vienna Gambit game, blundering away the win at some point, but then using a promotion tactic to profit off Muzychuk's blunder.

Game 4

Keeping up the unconventional openings, Roebers played the Alekhine Defense against Muzychuk, achieving theoretical equality from the opening. Disaster quickly struck, however, as Roebers allowed Muzychuk to maintain a strong pawn center, eventually winning a one-sided game and punching her ticket to the Finals.

Women's Finals: GM Bibisara Assaubayeva vs. GM Anna Muzychuk

GM Anna Muzychuk vs. GM Bibisara Assaubayeva, with many photographers present; photo: Lennart Ootes

Games 1, 2, & 3

GM Anna Muzychuk played a "memory test" — a forced drawing line, usually with incomprehensible computer moves that seem to be barely working and require memorization — against GM Bibisara Assaubayeva in game 1, with both players showing good knowledge of the line. Muzychuk won a pawn in game 2, but Assaubayeva did well to create counterplay, forcing Muzychuk to acquiesce to a draw after she could not find the right moves. In a reversal to the game 2, game 3 saw Assaubayeva win a pawn, which she also could not convert to a win.

Game 4

Assaubayeva won a tense game 4 to become the 2025 Women's World Blitz Champion, where the advantage shifted for quite some time until Assaubayeva's rooks were on powerful squares, whereafter Muzychuk's position collapsed.