FIDE World Rapid Championship 2025 D1: Carlsen in 5-Way Tie, Zhu in Sole Lead

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.

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

The first round of each day always starts at 14:00 local time (11:00 UTC). See our broadcasts for the exact schedule in your own time zone.

Open Overview

Five players are on 4.5 points after five rounds of the rapid: GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Arjun Erigaisi, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, GM Vladislav Artemiev, and GM Gukesh D. The chasing pack on 4/5 includes 15 players, notable among them are two young IMs: IM Goutham Krishna H and IM Eldiyar Orozbaev. Other familiar names on 4/5 include GM Anish Giri, GM Javokhir Sindarov, GM Ray Robson, GM Yu Yangyi, GM Nihal Sarin, GM Alexey Sarana, and GM Hans Moke Niemann.

Open Top Results

GM Magnus Carlsen

GM Magnus Carlsen; photo: Anna Shtourman

GM Magnus Carlsen had a dominant start to his event, winning games in precise fashion and always having the upper hand in terms of the initiative. He did let his advantage slip in round 3, but the exact defensive setup was nearly impossible to find, especially as Carlsen's opponent, GM Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli, was in time trouble. Meanwhile, Carlsen's round 2 game was a beauty to behold as his king walked up the board, while it was GM David Paravyan's own wandering king that was more vulnerable.

GM Arjun Erigaisi

GM Magnus Carlsen vs. GM Arjun Erigaisi; photo: Lennart Ootes

As per usual, GM Arjun Erigaisi played some of the most electrifying chess of the round, playing a gambit against GM Bai Jinshi and exquisite attacking chess against GM Aram Hakobyan.

For his part, Arjun also had to hold rook + f- + h-pawn vs. rook, an endgame which GM Gukesh D actually won, against none other than Carlsen. He was up to the task and defended without issue.

GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

GM Alexander Grischuk vs. GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave played day 1's five games with extreme precision, never being significantly worse and always applying pressure on his opponents. His round 4 game against GM Cristobal Henriquez Villagra showed just how powerful the (in)famous overprotected pawn on e5 can be, while his round 5 game against GM Alexander Grischuk was a crushing Najdorf game which exemplified Vachier-Lagrave's natural talent and experience in the Najdorf.

GM Vladislav Artemiev

GM Vladislav Artemiev with reigning rapid world champion GM Volodar Murzin; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Vladislav Artemiev's first couple of games showed his usual slow and positional Karpovian-esque style, but his game in round 2 also revealed that Artemiev is a very fine attacking player. In round 4, Artemiev decided to conserve his energy against GM Shant Sargsyan, a strategy which paid off as he once again completely outplayed his opponent, GM Rauf Mamedov, in an endgame.

GM Gukesh D

GM Gukesh D; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Gukesh D survived a significant first-round scare against GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, when he drew a losing endgame position after Rodrigue-Lemieux pushed the wrong pawn. Gukesh seemed to find his way back into the tournament with a nice attacking game in round 2, followed by two more victories, as well as a powerful finish in round 5 after he went for an extremely complicated and risky line starting with 30. g4?!.

Open Pairings for Round 6 (Top 5 Boards)

Women's Overview

GM Zhu Jiner is on a perfect 4/4 after a rather dominant performance, while seven players are part of the chasing pack on 3.5/4: GM Nino Batsiashvili, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, GM Mariya Muzychuk, GM Harika Dronavalli, GM Antoaneta Stefanova, IM Song Yuxin, and IM Sarasadat Khademalsharieh. On 3/4 are the likes of the reigning classical and blitz Women's World Champion, GM Ju Wenjun, as well as GM Tan Zhongyi and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu.

Women's Top Results

GM Zhu Jiner

GM Zhu Jiner; photo: Lennart Ootes

With a crushing miniature in round 1, GM Zhu Jiner looked to be in great form. In round 2, the calm opening both she and IM Khanim Balajayeva chose, though, suddenly turned violent as Balajayeva had a chance to retain her active pieces with 26. Qe3!. Instead, she traded queens and Zhu was able to outplay Balajayeva in the endgame.

After another short win in round 3, Zhu played a complicated game as Black against GM Nana Dzagnidze. Zhu was never really any worse and again outplayed Dzagnidze in the endgame.

GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, GM Antoaneta Stefanova, and IM Sarasadat Khademalsharieh

IM Sarasadat Khademalsharieh; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, GM Antoaneta Stefanova, and IM Sarasadat Khademalsharieh all had great starts to their tournament as they drew just one game and had no major issues in their other games; in fact, they usually won quite quickly.

GM Nino Batsiashvili and GM Harika Dronavalli

GM Harika Dronavalli; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Nino Batsiashvili and GM Harika Dronavalli showed their tenacity as they had worse positions in one game of their 3.5/4 run: Batsiashvili in round 1 and Harika in round 3. Harika was actually lost at multiple points in her game against WFM Diana Preobrazhenskaya, but she was able to come back into the game after some mistakes from White which culminated in a skewer tactic. As for Batsiashvili, she was much worse against WIM Susanna Gaboyan, but she found her way back into the game after some imprecision from Gaboyan, which eventually allowed Batsiashvili to sacrifice her queen for a checkmating idea.

GM Mariya Muzychuk and GM Song Yuxin

GM Mariya Muzychuk; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Mariya Muzychuk and GM Song Yuxin had tougher starts to their event as they reached the 3.5/4 score after playing multiple topsy-turvy games. Of course, though, saving games is an important part of rapid chess. Muzychuk forked GM Vaishali Rameshbabu's rooks to escape what was a flimsy strategic position, while Song sacrificed a piece against IM Davaademberel Nomin-Erdene to create a powerful attack.

Women's Pairings for Round 6 (Top 5 Boards)