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DOHA, QATAR — The 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships have roared to life at the Qatar University Sports and Events Complex, delivering a masterclass in speed and strategy. After five grueling rounds on the opening day, the leaderboard in the Open section is a crowded house of titans, while the Women’s section has found a solitary, unstoppable leader.
The Open Section: A Five-Way Deadlock
The narrative of Day 1 was defined by a ruthless start from World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen.
The Norwegian maestro, seeking his sixth Rapid title, carved through his first four opponents with surgical precision. However, his “perfect” day was thwarted in the fifth round by India’s Arjun Erigaisi.
In a high-stakes encounter, Erigaisi demonstrated incredible resilience, holding Carlsen to a draw in a complex rook endgame where Carlsen held two extra pawns. Erigaisi’s “brick wall” defense allowed him to join the lead rather than fall behind.
Sharing the top spot with 4.5/5 points are:
- Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
- Gukesh Dommaraju (India) — The reigning Classical World Champion, proving his rapid game has reached elite levels after a slow start.
- Arjun Erigaisi (India)
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France)
- Vladislav Artemiev (FIDE)
“I came here to win,” Carlsen stated at the opening press conference. “Day one is about setting the pace, and so far, the quality of play has been where it needs to be.”
The “Zhu-nami”: Zhu Jiner’s Perfect Start
While the men fought to a standstill, China’s Zhu Jiner emerged as the undisputed star of the Women’s section. She finished the day as the only player in the entire tournament with a perfect score, winning all four of her games (4/4).
Zhu’s path was not easy; she dismantled seasoned veterans including Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze and Armenia’s Elina Danielian. Her performance puts her half a point ahead of a formidable chasing pack of seven players, including India’s Harika Dronavalli and former World Champion Mariya Muzychuk.
The Giant Slayer : Goutham Krishna’s Rise
The biggest shock of the day came from 187th-seeded International Master Goutham Krishna H. The young Indian prodigy sent shockwaves through the hall by defeating world-class Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov in just 33 moves using the unconventional Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack (1. b3). Krishna sits just half a point behind the leaders at 4/5, proving that in rapid chess, ratings are often just numbers.
Looking Ahead
The Rapid Championship continues today with rounds 6 through 9 for the Open section and 5 through 8 for the Women. With the defending champion Volodar Murzin struggling at just 2/5, the throne is wide open for a new king to emerge in Doha.
