Following a dramatic finish in the Open and Women’s competitions, the chess world got a new chess king and queen in the Rapid. India’s Humpy Koneru clinched her second FIDE World Rapid Crown, while 18-year-old Volodar Murzin made history as the second-youngest person to win the Open Rapid.
The third day of the 2024 FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship saw four rounds in the Open and three in the Women’s competition.
Eighteen-year-old underdog Volodar Murzin delivered a stellar performance in a fierce field made up of most of the strongest and seasoned players in the world. In the Women’s event, Koneru Humpy, India's top-rated female chess player, secured her second World Rapid Championship title with a score of 8.5/11, adding to her 2019 victory in Moscow.
Rapid Open: Volodar Murzin’s moment
Following a spectacular performance featuring seven victories, six draws, and no defeats, 18-year-old Volodar Murzin has claimed the 2024 FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship. He is now the second-youngest player to win the title, after Nodirbek Abdusattorov's victory in 2021.
In his first remarks after the claiming the title, Murzin’s words reflected the attitude of an uncompromising world champion: “For me, it’s easy to play with top Grandmasters because it’s very interesting to play with them. I wanted to win, I was a bit lucky, but it worked”. When asked if he has idols in his chess career, Murzin was brisk: “I don’t.”
The 18-year-old demonstrated consistent brilliance throughout the tournament. Leading on both the first and second days, he maintained his momentum during the final four rounds on day three. His decisive push began in round 10, where he secured a victory over Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the 2021 World Cup winner. He followed this with a hard-fought draw against the legendary Alexander Grischuk in round 11. In round 12, Murzin defeated Indian prodigy Praggnanandhaa R who made a crucial blunder in a wining but very sharp endgame position, entering the final round with 9.5 points – a half-point lead over the field. He was closely pursued by seven elite players, with Grischuk at nine points and six others, including Ian Nepomniachtchi, trailing at 8.5 points.
In the climactic final round, Murzin, playing White, faced Armenian GM Karen H. Grigoryan. A win would secure the title outright, while a draw could force a tiebreak if Grischuk prevailed in his game. However, the tension eased for Murzin early in the round as Grischuk made a quick draw with Leinier Dominguez. With the pressure off, Murzin played solidly, steering the game to a comfortable draw and claiming the title.
Second place was shared by Alexander Grischuk (pictured below) and Ian Nepomniachtchi, both finishing on nine points. At 41, Grischuk – a three-time World Blitz Champion – delivered a resurgent performance, underscoring his enduring strength in rapid chess.
Nepomniachtchi also impressed on the final day, defeating Uzbek prodigy Javokhir Sindarov with Black in round 10. After two draws in rounds 11 and 12, Nepomniachtchi closed strongly with a win against American GM Sam Sevian to secure joint second.
Six players tied for third place on nine points. Notably absent from the top standings was Hikaru Nakamura, who finished with 7.5/13. Despite being one of the pre-tournament favorites, the streaming superstar struggled for consistency and ended in the middle of the scoreboard.
Humpy Koneru clinches her second World Rapid crown
India’s top-rated chess player and one of the most seasoned competitors in women’s chess, Koneru Humpy, secured her second World Rapid Championship title, finishing the tournament with 8.5/11. She won her first gold in the 2019 edition, in Moscow.
In a seven-way tie at the top at the start of the final, 11th round, Koneru stood out as the only player to score a victory. Playing with the black pieces, she outmanoeuvred Indonesia’s International Master Irine Kharisma Sukandar in a challenging endgame, claiming the title in style.
Koneru’s victory adds another feather to the spectacular success of Indian chess in 2024, after the country won gold in the Chess Olympiad this summer in both the Open and the Women’s Competition, and Gukesh D won the title of World Champion in classical chess.
Koneru’s path to the top began quietly, with just 2.5 points out of four on day one. By the conclusion of day two, however, she surged into shared first place alongside compatriot Harika Dronavalli and reigning Classical World Champion Ju Wenjun of China.
Then came the most critical part: With just three rounds remaining, the final day of the Rapid was a scramble for top places.
Entering the last round, the leaderboard featured an unprecedented seven-way tie. Alongside Koneru - Ju Wenjun, Harika Dronavalli, Kateryna Lagno, Tan Zhongyi, Irine Kharisma Sukandar, and Uzbekistan’s Afruza Khamdamova all held a chance at the title. Lagno, one of the pre-tournament favorites, had earlier dealt a critical blow to former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk in round nine, while Khamdamova stunned Grandmaster Elisabeth Paehtz to join the leaders.
Amid expectations of tiebreaks, Koneru’s win in the final round rendered them unnecessary. Her 8.5 points secured clear first place, half a point ahead of a pack of six players who tied for second: Ju Wenjun, Kateryna Lagno, Tan Zhongyi, Harika Dronavalli, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and Afruza Khamdamova.
Last year’s champion, Anastasia Bodnaruk, endured a disappointing final day, suffering two losses before salvaging a victory in the last round. She concluded the tournament with 6.5 points, finishing mid-table.
Next up: The World Blitz
Things are about to get more exciting, with the World Blitz coming up next. A two-day action on 30 and 31 December will see the strongest world players in the Open and the Women competition tested in nerve-wracking Blitz games, where luck and second can have more power than chess excellence!
Written by Milan Dinic
Photos: Lennart Ootes and Michal Walusza
All the information about the event, including results, news, images and regulations are available on the official event webpage: worldrapidandblitz.fide.com
The full schedule of the event is available here: Schedule – 2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships.
Follow live commentary by Grandmasters and special guests on FIDE’s official YouTube Channel, starting on the 26th: FIDE chess - YouTube.
