The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has exciting news! They have revealed some changes to the format and an impressive prize pool for the upcoming 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Championships.
Prestigious Event in Doha, Qatar
This prestigious chess event will be held in Doha, Qatar, and has gained recognition as one of the top tournaments in the chess world since it began in 2012. Usually taking place in the last week of December, the championship draws in the best players globally, including current champions Gukesh Dommaraju and Ju Wenjun, as well as Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-rated player, among many other chess stars in both the Open and Women’s categories.
Mohd Al-Mudahka, President of the Qatar Chess Association, expressed excitement about hosting the chess community in Doha and welcomed FIDE’s new improvements to the regulations. He emphasized Qatar’s commitment to supporting chess, highlighting the success of the Qatar Masters tournament and the previous hosting of the World Rapid & Blitz Championships in 2016. Al-Mudahka is proud to bring this significant event back to their capital, further solidifying Qatar’s role in the global chess scene.
For the 2025 championships, the prize fund has been boosted to one million euros (around 1.125 million USD), continuing the tradition of substantial financial rewards in recent tournaments and showcasing FIDE’s dedication to high-level competition. This total will be divided between the Open and Women’s events, with €700,000 going to the Open section and €300,000 for the Women’s section, split equally between the Rapid and Blitz tournaments.
A new knockout format will be introduced for the Blitz events, which is known for being the most thrilling chess competition of the year. In 2024, FIDE implemented a knockout format that added even more excitement, and for 2025, they are refining it further. Now, only the top four players from the Swiss stage will advance to the knockout semifinals, a change from the previous eight players qualifying.
FIDE CEO and Grandmaster Emil Sutovsky shared his enthusiasm for the new format, which blends the Swiss system with knockout rounds. He believes that the increased number of qualifying rounds will ensure that only the strongest players make it to the knockout stage, and the final match will be timed to accommodate audiences in major chess hubs. Sutovsky also mentioned that preparations are underway for high-quality broadcasts to reach millions of viewers.
The Blitz schedule will feature 19 Swiss rounds for the Open and 15 for the Women, all taking place over two days, followed by semifinals and finals on December 30. The format for the Rapid World Championships will stay the same, with 13 rounds for the Open and 11 for the Women, concluding with a playoff if there is a tie for first place.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich pointed out that with growing global interest in rapid and blitz formats, the competition is now more intense than ever. These format changes aim to make the event more dynamic while still maintaining the integrity and excitement of the game for players and fans alike.
For more details on the regulations for the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz events, you can check out the official documents.