World No.1 Magnus Carlsen once again showcased his extraordinary endgame mastery to clinch a record-extending ninth World Blitz Championship title in Doha on Tuesday.
The Norwegian great added the Blitz crown to the Rapid gold medal he had won just two days earlier, underlining his enduring dominance in fast-paced chess.
In the final showdown, Carlsen edged past young Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov with a 2.5–1.5 victory. After the first three games ended with both players tied at 1.5 points each, Carlsen refused to settle for a draw in the decisive fourth game. Instead, he produced a brilliant and unexpected pawn move that turned the contest in his favour and sealed the title.
The triumph was particularly satisfying for Carlsen, who had endured a difficult start to the tournament. A string of losses in the Swiss qualifying rounds saw him struggle to even secure a place in the knockout stage. A crucial draw against Abdusattorov in Round 19 proved decisive, helping Carlsen finish with 13.5 points, while Abdusattorov’s 13 points were enough to take the final semifinal spot. They qualified behind India’s Arjun Erigaisi (15 points) and American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana (14 points).
In the semifinals, Carlsen defeated Caruana 3–1 to book his place in the final. In the other semifinal, Abdusattorov delivered a stunning performance, handing Erigaisi a crushing 2.5–0.5 defeat.
Despite the setback, Erigaisi’s campaign ended on a high note as he claimed bronze, his second podium finish at the event after securing third place in the Rapid Championship on Sunday. The Indian Grandmaster’s strong showing across both formats marked another significant milestone in his rapidly rising career.
Assaubayeva Claims Third World Blitz Crown, Qualifies for 2026 Candidates
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva continued her remarkable rise in women’s chess by clinching her third World Blitz Championship title at the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship. The 21-year-old defeated two-time champion Anna Muzychuk 2.5–1.5 in the final to reaffirm her status as one of the game’s brightest young stars.
With the victory, Assaubayeva earned €40,000 in prize money and, more significantly, secured a coveted place in the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, keeping her firmly on track for a future world title challenge.
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