World Champion Gukesh to Face Blitz Expert Duda in Poland Showdown
On August 7, 2025, World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju will face Polish Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda in an electrifying six-game 3+2 blitz match in Katowice, Poland. In case of a 3-3 tie, the winner will be decided by a single Armageddon game!
The 19-year-old Indian, who made history in 2024 as the youngest undisputed world champion, takes on Duda, who is also dubbed as a speed chess specialist, having held a peak blitz rating of 2818, in a thrilling showdown. Gukesh’s recent rapid and blitz form has been a tale of contrasts. At the 2025 SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia, Gukesh clinched the rapid title, defeating Magnus Carlsen and outpacing Duda in their head-to-head. However, his blitz performance proved to be a disaster, and soon it became a tournament to forget for the prodigy, exposing a relative weakness in faster formats. Duda, a former World Cup winner, thrives in high-pressure, fast-paced games. Having served as Gukesh’s second during the 2024 World Championship, he knows the champion’s strategies well.
In Katowice, with home-crowd support, Duda aims to exploit Gukesh’s blitz struggles. Despite the possibility of it being a clean wipeout, the match set in Poland’s vibrant chess scene promises intense battles. Will Gukesh conquer his blitz challenges, or will Duda’s lightning-fast play prevail? Chess fans are in for a treat.
The match will commence at 9 AM UTC on August 7!
