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WR Chess Wins Second FIDE World Team Blitz Championship Title
WR Chess has done it again! They clinched their second FIDE World Team Blitz Championship title by defeating KazChess in both final matches with a 4:2 score.
The event took place in London and marked the end of a thrilling chess battle. Out of 53 participating teams, only 16 reached the knockout stage. This phase included the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final.
Each match in the knockout round had teams playing at least two games with alternating colors. If the score was tied after two matches, extra games were played until a winner was declared.
WR Chess, the rating favorites, emerged victorious. Their stars—Alireza Firouzja, Hikaru Nakamura, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave—delivered key wins in the final.
This is their second straight Blitz title after their win in Kazakhstan in 2024. Team owner Wadim Rosenstein, who also played on the non-professional board, said, “Like always, when you win – it feels great.”
The champions received a trophy designed like a mix of Big Ben and a chess piece. They also took home a €75,000 prize.
Third place went to Hexamind Chess Club, who beat Uzbekistan in both matches. In the fight for fifth place, Rapid winners MGD1 beat Freedom with two 3.5:2.5 victories.
Former World Champion Anand’s Remarks
At the closing ceremony, former World Champion and FIDE Deputy President Viswanathan Anand congratulated all 53 teams. He thanked Isai Scheinberg for supporting the event and reaffirmed FIDE’s mission to grow chess worldwide. He said tournaments like this build bridges between chess and the world of sports, business, and culture.
How the Knockouts Unfolded:
Round of 16
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All top-ranked teams won.
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WR Chess, MGD1, and Freedom dominated with clean wins.
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Ashdod crushed Theme International Trading 5:1.
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KazChess defeated Rookies with 5.5:0.5.
Quarterfinals Drama
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Germany and Friends upset WR Chess 4:2.
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WR appealed due to confusion about start time and replayed the match.
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WR won the replay and return match to advance.
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Hexamind knocked out MGD1 with a key win from Anish Giri.
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KazChess eliminated Freedom.
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Uzbekistan outclassed Ashdod.
Semifinals Showdown
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WR Chess dominated Hexamind 5.5:0.5 in the first match.
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The second match ended 3:3, sending WR to the final.
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KazChess narrowly beat Uzbekistan thanks to lower-board wins.
Finals
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WR Chess defeated KazChess in both final matches, each 4:2.
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Firouzja, Nakamura, and Vachier-Lagrave sealed the victory.
5th Place Match
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MGD1 beat Freedom twice (3.5:2.5 each time).
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Ashdod and Germany and Friends shared 7th–8th place.
About the Event
The 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships were held in London from June 10–16. This was the third edition of the event, and it featured 52 teams in the Rapid section. Teams came from clubs, federations, and mixed player groups worldwide.
Official website: worldrapidblitzteams2025.fide.com/
The total prize fund was €500,000, with €310,000 for Rapid and €190,000 for Blitz.
Photos: Rafal Oleksiewicz, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
