India’s chess contingent delivered an impressive performance at the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championships 2025 in Doha. Along with Koneru Humpy and Arjun Erigaisi clinches bronze medals in the women’s and open categories respectively. Their achievements highlighted India’s growing strength on the global chess stage.
About FIDE World Rapid Chess Championships
- The FIDE World Rapid Chess Championships is one of the most prestigious events in global chess, featuring elite players competing in rapid time controls.
- The 2025 edition was held in Doha and witnessed intense competition across both the Open and Women’s sections.
Koneru Humpy’s Performance
- Koneru Humpy, a two-time World Rapid Champion (2019 and 2024), came agonisingly close to making history by becoming the first woman to win the title three times.
- She finished tied at 8.5 points after 11 rounds alongside China’s Zhu Jiner and Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina.
- However, under FIDE’s tie-break system based on Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz, and average opponent rating Humpy was placed third, earning the bronze medal.
- A draw in the final round against compatriot B. Savitha Shri proved decisive, as a win would have secured her the gold outright.
Women’s Section Highlights
- Gold: Aleksandra Goryachkina (8.5 points, better tie-breaks)
- Silver: Zhu Jiner (8.5 points)
- Bronze: Koneru Humpy (8.5 points)
Other notable Indian performances included R. Vaishali finishing fifth, Divya Deshmukh scoring 7.5 points, and D. Harika finishing with 7 points.
Arjun Erigaisi’s Bronze in the Open Section
- In the Open category, world No.1 Magnus Carlsen dominated the field to claim his sixth World Rapid title with 10.5 points.
- Russian GM Vladislav Artemiev secured silver with 9.5 points.
- Arjun Erigaisi delivered a strong late surge, finishing on 9.5 points to secure the bronze medal.
- His victory over Aleksandr Shimanov in the final rounds helped him edge past strong contenders including Hans Niemann and Leinier Domínguez on tie-breaks.
Indian Presence in the Open Section
Several Indian grandmasters put up competitive performances,
- D. Gukesh – 8.5 points
- Nihal Sarin – 8.5 points
- R. Praggnanandhaa – 8.5 points
Their consistent showing underlined India’s depth in elite-level chess.
Key Takeaways
- Event: FIDE World Rapid Chess Championships
- Venue: Doha, Qatar
- Koneru Humpy: Two-time World Rapid Champion (2019, 2024)
- Magnus Carlsen: Six-time World Rapid Champion
- Tie-break system used: Buchholz-based criteria
- India continues to emerge as a major force in international chess.
Question
Q. Which Indian female chess player won a bronze medal in the women’s section?
A) R. Vaishali
B) D. Harika
C) Divya Deshmukh
D) Koneru Humpy