FIDE World Rapid Championship 2025 D2: Artemiev & Hans Lead, Humpy & Zhu in 1st

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=SrdzK2Uq1LY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02vscwg7A6k

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 Vladislav Artemiev and GM Hans Moke Niemann are in the shared lead on 7.5/9, with GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, GM Alexey Sarana, and GM Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş part of the chasing pack on 7/9. One point behind on 6.5/9 is a long list of thirteen players: GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, GM Arjun Erigaisi, GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, GM Javokhir Sindarov, GM Leinier Dominguez Perez, GM Wesley So, GM Gukesh D, GM Parham Maghsoodloo, GM Samuel Sevian, GM Rauf Mamedov, GM Cristobal Henriquez Villagra, GM Denis Lazavik, and GM Aleksandr Shimanov.

Open Top Results

GM Vladislav Artemiev

GM Vladislav Artemiev; photo: GM Anna Shtourman

In what would become a regular occurrence for GM Vladislav Artemiev, he was already in time trouble against GM Arjun Erigaisi by move 1. Artemiev took a minute and a half to respond to Arjun's 1. Nf3, and by move 16, he had a mere one minute and 30 seconds on the clock to Arjun's 11:53. After having been better just a few moves prior, Artemiev had an equal position at that point, and in his time trouble, he had to sacrifice a piece but won a couple of pawns in return. Those pawns were dangerous passed pawns, though, and as Arjun failed to contain them, Artemiev was equal and then even just completely winning after Arjun blundered with 39. Be5??.

Artemiev's time gambit continued to pay off as in round 7, GM Magnus Carlsen decided to play on in an equal position after thinking for four minutes on move 15. Carlsen's move turned out to be a tactical blunder, allowing 16. exf7+! with 17. Bd5 as the follow-up, winning an exchange. The position remained tricky, however, but Artemiev played precisely. On move 25, though, Artemiev's brilliant-looking 25. Rd1!! (?\*) had just one blemish: 26...Bc6 would have forced a queen endgame after 27. Rxf8+ Rxf8 28. Qe6+ Qf7 29. Rxf8+ Kxf8 30. Qxc6 gxh6 31. Qxh6+, where White was better, but not necessarily winning. Fortunately for Artemiev, Carlsen did not spot this resource and instead played 26...Bxg2+??, losing after just a few more moves.

Artemiev's remaining two games against GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and GM Alexey Sarana lasted for a total of 38 moves and were rather uneventful games — the latter with its 10 moves, of course, far more staid as compared to the somewhat imbalanced game against Vachier-Lagrave.

GM Hans Moke Niemann

GM Hans Moke Niemann; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Hans Moke Niemann's creative pawn gambit against IM Goutham Krishna H's Scandinavian Defense almost backfired, but he was quickly able to win his pawn back and then outplayed Goutham in an equal endgame.

After a quick draw in round 7 against GM Ray Robson, Niemann made wonderful use of GM Lê Quang Liêm's weakening kingside pawn moves, forcing his opponent to sacrifice the exchange, whereafter Niemann converted flawlessly.

Niemann's round 9 game against GM Aleksandr Shimanov, who had defeated GM Dmitry Andreikin, GM Anish Giri, and GM Fabiano Caruana already, was another complicated game where Niemann's dark-squared control eventually proved decisive.

GM Magnus Carlsen

GM Magnus Carlsen; photo: Lennart Ootes

Despite suffering a setback in round 7 and a shaky game against GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in round 6, GM Magnus Carlsen found his footing in rounds 8 and 9, defeating GM Shant Sargsyan and GM Ray Robson to finish the day on 7/9.

In Carlsen's game against Sargsyan, the bishop pair suddenly proved to be too powerful.

His game against Robson was a far more technical affair as Carlsen simply pushed his isolated passed d-pawn down the board.

GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov

GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov; photo: Lennart Ootes

Following a moderately difficult draw against GM Daniel Dardha, where Dardha actually had chances to push on in the final position, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov won three games in a row to close off the day with 7/9 and a chance to reclaim the World Rapid title, which he won four years ago at the age of 17.

Abdusattorov's games in rounds 7 and 8 were rather one-sided, and his game against world champion GM Gukesh D was similarly comfortable.

GM Alexey Sarana

GM Alexey Sarana; photo: Lennart Ootes

After a solid 4/5 start, with two draws, GM Alexey Sarana drew another two games and won two more to finish the day on 3/4 and propel himself to second place with 7/9. Sarana's endgame skills were on full display today as he won a couple of rather tricky endgames with masterful precision.

First, he penetrated with his king toward the queenside in a rook endgame against GM Robert Hovhannisyan.

Following a tough endgame against GM Gukesh D, where Sarana was actually nearly lost for a couple of moves, Sarana played a beautiful pawns vs. bishop endgame against GM Sina Movahed, finding multiple aesthetically pleasing intermezzos such as 37. a5 and 43. f5.

GM Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş

GM Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş has recovered well from his round 1 loss against reigning rapid world champion GM Volodar Murzin; he has not lost a game since and played two electrifying games to seal the deal for the day.

In round 8, he played an extremely sharp game against GM Jorden van Foreest.

Erdoğmuş then delivered an exquisite checkmate against GM Nihal Sarin.

Open Pairings for Round 10 (Top 5 Boards)

Women's Overview

GM Humpy Koneru and GM Zhu Jiner are in joint first on 6.5/8, with both of them having five wins and three draws. There are nine players on 6/8, just a half point behind the two leaders: GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, GM Lei Tingjie, GM Kateryna Lagno, GM Harika Dronavalli, GM Mariya Muzychuk, WGM Afruza Khamdamova, GM Nino Batsiashvili, IM Meri Arabidze, WGM Bat-Erdene Mungunzul, and FM Chen Yining.

Women's Top Results

GM Humpy Koneru

GM Humpy Koneru; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Humpy Koneru was off to a very strong start as she won three games and drew her round 8 game against GM Aleksandra Goryachkina in what was a topsy-turvy game. Indeed, Humpy was quite dangerous with the Black pieces today. In round 6, she won a game as Black after WGM Yana Zhapova had a winning advantage as White.

After winning a comfortable White game in round 7 against IM Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, Humpy almost repeated her success against Goryachkina as she was lost at some point, but found a way to keep the game going and eventually end up in a winning position. Unfortunately for Humpy, she missed multiple chances to convert and had to settle for a draw on the poetic move 64.

GM Zhu Jiner

GM Zhu Jiner; photo: Lennart Ootes

Owing to her 4/4 start, GM Zhu Jiner decided to play pragmatically today and drew her first three games by using some very solid, if not somewhat unambitious, opening lines. By doing so, she got her games against GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, GM Nino Batsiashvili, and GM Mariya Muzychuk out of the way, and with some renewed energy, she was able to defeat GM Divya Deshmukh in an endgame.

The Chasing Pack

There are nine players on 6/8, just a half point behind the two leaders. These players are GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, GM Lei Tingjie, GM Kateryna Lagno, GM Harika Dronavalli, GM Mariya Muzychuk, WGM Afruza Khamdamova, GM Nino Batsiashvili, IM Meri Arabidze, WGM Bat-Erdene Mungunzul, and FM Chen Yining. Below are some of their most important or flashy victories.

GM Aleksandra Goryachkina

GM Aleksandra Goryachkina vs. GM Humpy Koneru; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Lei Tingjie

GM Mariya Muzychuk vs. GM Lei Tingjie; photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Kateryna Lagno

GM Harika Dronavalli

GM Mariya Muzychuk

WGM Afruza Khamdamova

GM Nino Batsiashvili

IM Meri Arabidze

WGM Bat-Erdene Mungunzul

FM Chen Yining

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