China’s Dragon Chilling team dominated day two of the FIDE World Team Rapid Championship 2026 in Hong Kong. After eight rounds, they became the only unbeaten team in the tournament with 14 match points.

The team delivered an impressive performance throughout the day and now stands alone at the top of the leaderboard.

Team MGD1 Stays Close Behind

Defending champions Team MGD1 are currently in second place with 13 match points. They won three matches and drew one on day two. One of their biggest stars was board six player Abhijeet Shah Aryan, who scored an outstanding 7.5 points out of 8 games.

Kazakhstan’s Barys team is in third place with 12 match points. The squad is led by experienced grandmasters Dmitry Andreikin and Peter Svidler.

Dragon Chilling Defeats Strong Rivals

Dragon Chilling started the day with a close 3.5-2.5 win against KazChess, who were also leaders after day one. GM Yu Yangyi and Wang Zihao played key roles in the victory. Wang continued his excellent form on board six.

The most dramatic game of the round featured former World Champion Ding Liren against Richard Rapport. Ding fought hard in a difficult queen endgame but eventually had to resign after a long battle.

Later, Dragon Chilling drew matches against Endgame.ai and Team MGD1. They finished the day strongly with a dominant 4-2 victory over India’s Chessgurukul team, led by Praggnanandhaa R.

Yu Yangyi and Wang Zihao Shine

Even though Dragon Chilling leads the tournament, Ding Liren has had mixed results so far. He has one win, five draws, and two losses. The real heroes for the team have been Yu Yangyi and Wang Zihao.

Yu started the event with five straight wins before slowing down later in the day. Wang Zihao has been extremely solid, scoring six wins and one draw in seven games.

Tough Day for WR Chess and Magnus Carlsen

Top-seeded WR Chess had an up-and-down day in Hong Kong. They began with a 4-2 win over Mr Birdie and Friends but later lost 3.5-2.5 to Team MGD1. Although they defeated Sky Chess in round seven, they suffered another heavy 4-2 defeat against Barys in round eight. WR Chess has now dropped to 11th place with 10 match points.

World number one Magnus Carlsen struggled on day two. He scored only half a point from three games. Carlsen first drew against blitz specialist Vladislav Artemiev. He then lost to India’s Arjun Erigaisi in round six.

In another surprise result, Armenia’s Shant Sargsyan defeated Carlsen despite being rated nearly 200 points lower. WR Chess rested Carlsen in the final round, but the team still lost to Barys.

Final Day Promises Excitement

Only four rounds remain in the FIDE World Team Rapid Championship 2026. With several strong teams still fighting for the title, the final day in Hong Kong promises exciting action and dramatic finishes.

Amateur Teams Begin Their Journey

The first-ever FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup also started in Hong Kong alongside the main event. The tournament gives amateur chess players a rare chance to compete in a world championship atmosphere using the same boards, clocks, and playing hall as elite grandmasters.

The event features a nine-round Swiss format divided into two pools before the finals. After three rounds, Le Petit Prince and South Luzon Amateurs PH lead Pool A with perfect scores. In Pool B, Trophy Hunters and Hong Kong Young Dragons also won all their matches on the opening day.

About the Event

The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships began in 2023 and quickly became one of the biggest team chess events in the world. The tournament includes elite grandmasters, rising young talents, and recreational players from many countries.

This year marks the first time the event is being held in Hong Kong and East Asia. The championship runs from June 17 to June 21, featuring three days of rapid chess and two days of blitz chess. The total prize fund for the main event is €500,000, while the Amateur Cup offers €25,000 in prizes.

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Photos: Michal Walusza
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS

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