India's chess contingent delivered an impressive performance at the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championships 2025 in Doha. Koneru Humpy and Arjun Erigaisi clinched bronze medals in the women’s and open categories, respectively. Their achievements highlighted India’s growing strength on the global chess stage.
The FIDE World Rapid Chess Championships is one of the most prestigious events in global chess, featuring elite players competing under rapid time controls. The 2025 edition held in Doha witnessed intense competition across both the Open and Women’s sections.
Koneru Humpy, a two-time World Rapid Champion (2019 and 2024), came agonizingly 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.
Other notable Indian performances included R. Vaishali finishing fifth, Divya Deshmukh scoring 7.5 points, and D. Harika finishing with 7 points.
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.
Several Indian grandmasters put up competitive performances, including:
Their consistent showing underlined India’s depth in elite-level chess.
India continues to emerge as a major force in international chess.
Q1. What were the main achievements of India's chess players at the 2025 championships?
Answer: India's chess players, including Koneru Humpy and Arjun Erigaisi, achieved significant recognition by winning bronze medals in the women's and open categories, respectively, highlighting India's growing prominence in global chess.
Q2. Who won the gold medal in the women's section?
Answer: The gold medal in the women's section was won by Aleksandra Goryachkina, who finished with 8.5 points and had better tie-breaks than her competitors.
Q3. What is the tie-break system used in the championships?
Answer: The tie-break system used in the championships is based on Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz, and average opponent rating to determine rankings among players with identical scores.
Q4. How did Arjun Erigaisi perform in the open section?
Answer: Arjun Erigaisi finished with 9.5 points in the open section, securing a bronze medal thanks to his performance in the final rounds, including a critical victory over Aleksandr Shimanov.
Q5. What notable performances came from other Indian players?
Answer: Other notable Indian players included R. Vaishali, who finished fifth, and Divya Deshmukh and D. Harika, who scored 7.5 and 7 points, respectively, showcasing India's depth in chess talent.
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