Dragon Chilling Win FIDE World Team Rapid Championship 2026 After Dramatic Finish
China’s Dragon Chilling won the 2026 FIDE World Team Rapid Championship in Hong Kong after an exciting final day full of drama and surprises.
Three teams finished tied on 18 match points. Dragon Chilling claimed the title because of a better tiebreak score. Defending champions Team MGD1 finished second, while Hexamind secured third place.
Exciting Final Day in Hong Kong
The last day of the tournament started with a special opening ceremony. Representatives from Kazakhstan, India, and Indonesia made the ceremonial first moves on the top boards.
Dragon Chilling entered the day as the sole leaders and the only unbeaten team after eight rounds. In Round 9, they crushed Barys with a dominant 5-1 victory. Everything looked under control for the Chinese side. But the tournament quickly became intense.
In Round 10, Dragon Chilling lost 4-2 to Hexamind. Alireza Firouzja and Volodar Murzin scored important wins for Hexamind. Then came another surprise defeat. Dragon Chilling lost 3.5-2.5 against Mr Birdie and Friends.
Mr Birdie and Friends Shock Everyone
Before the final round, Mr Birdie and Friends became the surprise leaders of the tournament. The team was built around friendship and team spirit. Unlike many top teams with heavy preparation and coaching, they focused on playing blitz games together and enjoying the event.
American player Carissa Yip explained that friendship and bonding were their biggest strengths during the tournament.
Ding Liren Delivers When It Matters Most
In the final round, former World Champion Ding Liren stepped up for Dragon Chilling. After six straight draws, Ding finally scored a victory. He defeated Zhao Jun in only 20 moves and gave his team a perfect start.
Dragon Chilling defeated Interstellar Club 5-1 in the final round. At the same time, Hexamind defeated Mr Birdie and Friends by a narrow 3.5-2.5 score. Team MGD1 also won their match against Barys 5-1. This created a three-way tie for first place with 18 match points each.
Dragon Chilling Win on Tiebreaks
The championship was decided by tiebreak scores. Dragon Chilling finished with the best tiebreak score of 647.5. Team MGD1 scored 632, while Hexamind finished with 611.5.
That result officially crowned Dragon Chilling as the 2026 FIDE World Team Rapid Champions. Team captain Ni Hua compared the tense finish to a football battle between Arsenal and Manchester City. He praised Ding Liren for improving throughout the tournament and delivering an important win in the final round.
Magnus Carlsen and WR Chess Struggle
WR Chess had one of the strongest teams in the tournament, but things did not go as expected. The team finished only 17th overall. World number one Magnus Carlsen played two games on the final day and lost both.
In total, Carlsen lost four consecutive games in Hong Kong. His defeats came against Arjun Erigaisi, Shant Sargsyan, Javokhir Sindarov, and Aydin Suleymanli. Such a losing streak is extremely rare for the world’s top-rated chess player.
Focus Shifts to the Blitz Championship
With the Rapid event completed, attention now moves to the FIDE World Team Blitz Championship. The blitz event begins on June 20 in Hong Kong.
Amateur Rapid Chess Cup Update
The FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup also continued with exciting action. After six rounds, Golden Stars, Team Sky, and Le Petit Prince share the lead in Pool A.
In Pool B, Hong Kong Young Dragons and Bosoo Noyon are leading the standings. All five leading teams have scored five victories and one defeat so far. The final rounds will decide which teams qualify for the finals of the inaugural amateur event.
About the Event
The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships started in 2023. The tournament brings together elite grandmasters, young talents, and amateur players from around the world.
The 2026 edition is the first time the event is being held in Hong Kong and East Asia. The event features both Rapid and Blitz formats and offers a total prize fund of €500,000. The Amateur Cup has a separate prize fund of €25,000.
Photos: Michal Walusza
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
