Magnus Carlsen clinched his sixth FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship title in the Open category, underscoring his dominance in rapid chess as he finished ahead of a competitive field. Carlsen, now a six-time rapid world champion with previous victories in 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, and 2023, claimed the title with 10.5 points and secured a 70,000 Euro prize.
Carlsen’s path to victory was not without challenges. After suffering a seventh-round defeat at the hands of Vladislav Artemiev, Carlsen rallied with three consecutive wins on the final day and secured a draw against Anish Giri in the last round. Artemiev finished second on 9.5 points, while India’s Arjun Erigaisi claimed the bronze medal after defeating Aleksandr Shimanov to also reach 9.5 points, edging out Hans Niemann and Leinier Domnguez on tie-breaks.
Erigaisi outpaced several strong contenders in a tightly contested field. Among other Indian participants, Nihal Sarin finished 19th with 8.5 points, D. Gukesh was 20th also on 8.5, and R. Praggnanandhaa ended in 27th place, matching the same score. The strong performances by Indian players signal continued depth and promise for the future of Indian chess on the world stage.
HEARTBREAK FOR HUMPY
In the women’s section, the final standings delivered heartbreak for Koneru Humpy, who missed out on becoming the first woman to win three World Rapid titles. Humpy, Zhu Jiner, and Aleksandra Goryachkina all finished with 8.5 points, but the final rankings were determined by FIDE’s tie-break system. Humpy’s tie-break scores were not enough, relegating her to the bronze medal despite a shared score at the top.
Aleksandra Goryachkina and Zhu Jiner advanced to the title play-off based on superior tie-breaks. Goryachkina triumphed over Zhu with a 1.5–0.5 result in the tie-break match, capturing her maiden World Rapid title and a 40,000 Euro prize. Zhu finished as runner-up, while Humpy’s campaign ended in disappointment, despite her resilient play throughout the tournament.
A pivotal moment in the final round saw Humpy held to a 64-move draw by fellow Indian B Savitha Shri, denying her the outright lead. A win would have given Humpy nine points and the championship. Missing a winning line in this encounter proved costly, as the draw opened the door for the three-way tie and subsequent tie-break calculations that ultimately decided the medals.
Savitha Shri’s result not only played a decisive role in the final standings but also marked a career-best fourth-place finish with 8 points. R. Vaishali placed fifth, also on 8 points, and Divya Deshmukh secured eighth with 7.5 points. D. Harika finished 19th with 7 points, reflecting strong Indian representation in the top echelons of the competition.
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