Carlsen & Nepomniachtchi share world blitz champion 2024 title
Defending world blitz champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway) who left the rapid championship midway got himself into the groove claiming the world blitz championship 2024 title albeit jointly with Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi after the final score stood unresolved at 3.5-3.5 each. New York has been part of chess history many times over in the past and today was no different. The Championship venue Cipriani 55 Wall Street wore a festive look on the New Year’s eve with eight sober looking Grandmasters pressing for the world blitz championship title.
Sharing a world title has happened for the first time with Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi etching their names in the trophy. For Mount Magnus this is his 8th world blitz title while for Nepo this happens to be his first one. With a myriad of things happening around him, similar to the giant rings around Saturn, Carlsen still shone bright moving ahead of the rest.
Full credit to Nepomniachtchi who fought back from 0-2 scoring two wins on demand. Having played out the quarter-final, semi-final and the finals without a break the players looked exhausted and FIDE rightly considered ending the match by awarding a shared title for both the Grandmasters.
Earlier, the quarter-finals saw Carlsen scoring over American Niemann 2.5-1.5, while Polish Grandmaster Duda put it across home favorite Caruana 2.5-0.5 Other two quarters saw So Wesley (USA) defeating Firouzja Alireza (France) 3-1, while Nepomniachtchi Ian swept fellow countryman and world rapid champion Murzin Volodar 2.5-0.5 without breaking a sweat. In the semi-finals, Magnus closed out Duda 3-0, while Nepomniachtchi Ian edged out home star So Wesley 3-2.
In the women’s section the quarter-finals went largely through the form of the player. Vaishali beat Zhu Jiner 2.5-1.5, while Lei Tingjie defeated Assaubayeva Bibisara by a similar score. Local star Yip Carissa went down to former women world blitz champion Lagno Kateryna 1.5-2.5, while women world champion Ju Wenjun closed out on Gunina Valentina 2.5-0.5 moving into the semi-finals.
An all-Chinese final ensued when Ju Wenjun beat Vaishali 2.5-0.5 thanks to wins with white and black pieces. In the other semi-final Lei Tingjie narrowly defeated Lagno Kateryna 3.5-2.5, in a highly tense match that could have gone either-way.
The six day USD 1.5 million year end chess bonanza concluded with five time world champion and FIDE Deputy President Viswanathan Anand distributing the prizes in the Open section. Former women world champion Zhu Chen awarded the medals to the women prize winners. WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili & GM Maurice Ashley conducted the valedictory function proceedings wishing more chess & happiness to all in the coming year 2025.
Blitz Medal Standings (Open):
Gold: Magnus Carlsen (Norway) & Nepomniachtchi Ian (Russia)
Bronze: So Wesley (USA) & Duda Jan-Krzysztof (Poland)
Blitz Medal Standings (Women):
Gold: Ju Wenjun (China)
Silver: Lei Tingjie (China)
Bronze: Vaishali Rameshbabu (India) & Lagno Kateryna (Russia)
Rapid Medal Standings (Open):
Gold: Murzin Volodar (Russia)
Silver: Grischuk Alexander (Russia)
Bronze: Nepomniachtchi Ian (Russia)
Rapid Medal Standings (Women):
Gold: Humpy Koneru (India)
Silver: Ju Wenjun (China)
Bronze: Lagno Kateryna (Russia)
Picture courtesy: Seshadri Sukumar
Official Site: https://worldrapidandblitz2024.fide.com/
