Magnus Carlsen Takes the Lead at World Rapid Championship

Four players head the women's event.

The King Salman World Rapid and Blitz Championships are going on in the VIP zone of the Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex in Moscow. On December 27, five rounds of the open event and four rounds of the women's tournament were played. 

The guests of honour were the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Alexander Zhukov and a well-known Russian footballer Dmitri Bulykin. They made first symbolic moves in the games of Magnus Carlsen against Viktor Laznicka and Wang Hao respectively. 

On the same day, the presentation of the King Salman Rapid & Blitz Championships trophies took place. The awards, which had been made in London from sterling silver and gilt in 6-micron coating of gold, were presented by President of the Saudi Chess Federation Rami Altassan, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, and CFR Executive Director Mark Glukhovsky. 




The world champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway) started the second day with two draws but then he won three games in a row to take the sole lead in the race with 8 points out of 10. Wang Hao (China), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France), and Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland) are trailing by half a point.

Irina Bulmaga (Romania), Tan Zhongyi, Lei Tingje (both from China), and Mariya Muzychuk (Ukraine) are heading the women's event with 6.5 points out of 8. Six players are half a point behind. 





 The final games of the King Salman World Rapid Championships will be played on December 28. 


The tournament is held with support of Gazprom and General Sports Authority.  

General partner is Saudi Chess Federation. 

Title sponsor of FIDE Women's Rapid and Blitz Championships is Total. 

CFR General Sponsor is PhosAgro. 

Partner is SILA International Lawyers.

Official water is Aquanika.


Official website  

Photos by Maria Elemianova and Lennart Ootes