Carlsen reigns again in rapid chess - Humpy, Erigaisi take bronze

Indian chess icon Koneru Humpy came agonisingly close to creating history at the FIDE World Rapid Championships but had to settle for a bronze medal after the tie-break rules pushed her out of title contention, despite finishing joint-top on points. It was a bittersweet end to an otherwise remarkable campaign for the two-time world rapid champion, who was just half a point away from becoming the most successful woman in the event’s history.

Humpy, who won the World Rapid crown in 2019 and 2024, finished with 8.5 points after 11 rounds, tying with China’s Zhu Jiner and Russian Grandmaster Aleksandra Goryachkina at the top of the standings in the women’s section. However, the International Chess Federation’s (FIDE) tie-break criteria Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz score and average rating of opponents proved decisive.

On these parameters, Humpy fell behind her rivals and was placed third. She recorded tie-break scores of 69, 74 and 2335, while Zhu posted stronger figures of 72.5, 77.5 and 2410, and Goryachkina finished with 71.5, 77 and 2360. As a result, Zhu and Goryachkina advanced to the tie-break playoff for the title.

In the playoff, Goryachkina, the 2023 Women’s World Cup winner and the highest-rated Russian woman in chess history, defeated Zhu 1.5–0.5 to clinch her maiden World Rapid title and the top prize of 40,000 Euros. Zhu Jiner finished with silver, while Humpy took bronze after narrowly missing out on a historic third crown, an achievement no woman has managed so far.

The decisive moment for Humpy came in the 11th and final round against 18-year-old Indian prodigy B Savitha Shri. A former World Rapid bronze medallist herself, Savitha showed immense composure and resilience. Humpy missed a clear winning line, allowing Savitha, playing with the white pieces, to steer the game into a draw after a long 64-move battle. That half-point proved costly. A win would have taken Humpy to nine points and outright gold.

Savitha’s performance was one of the highlights for India. She finished fourth with eight points, narrowly missing the podium. R. Vaishali, also on eight points, placed fifth. Women’s World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh scored 7.5 points to finish eighth, while experienced campaigner D. Harika ended her campaign in 19th place with seven points.

In the Open section, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen once again underlined his dominance in rapid chess by winning his sixth World Rapid title. The Norwegian finished on 10.5 points, adding the 2025 crown to his previous triumphs in 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023, and pocketed 70,000 Euros in prize money.

Carlsen showed strong mental resolve after suffering a seventh-round loss to Russia’s Vladislav Artemiev. He responded by winning three games in a row on the final day, built a one-point lead, and then safely drew his last-round game against Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri to seal the title.

Artemiev finished second with 9.5 points, while India’s Arjun Erigaisi produced a fine finish to secure bronze. Erigaisi defeated Russian GM Aleksandr Shimanov in the final round to reach 9.5 points, edging out American Hans Niemann and Cuban-American Leinier Domínguez on tie-breaks.

Classical world champion D. Gukesh ended with 8.5 points in 20th place. Nihal Sarin, also on 8.5, finished 19th, while R. Praggnanandhaa placed 27th with the same score.

With the rapid event concluded, attention now shifts to the World Blitz Championships, which begin on Monday, where Carlsen will once again start as the overwhelming favourite.