FIDE World Rapid Day 2: High Drama in Doha as Carlsen Slips
Day 2 of the FIDE World Rapid Championship 2025 in Doha delivered surprises, upsets, and intense battles on every board. The race for the title is wide open as new leaders emerged and big names faced tough challenges.
Open Rapid: Artemiev and Niemann Take Charge
After two days of action, Vladislav Artemiev and Hans Niemann are leading the Open section with 7.5 points out of 9.
Magnus Carlsen started the event strongly with 4.5/5 on Day 1. However, Day 2 proved difficult for the world number one. He began with a draw and then suffered a shocking loss.
Instead, Artemiev and Niemann stole the spotlight and finished the day as joint leaders. Carlsen is now half a point behind, along with Alexey Sarana, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Turkish prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus.
Artemiev Shines with Big Wins
Vladislav Artemiev had an outstanding day. He started by defeating Arjun Erigaisi as Black after defending a worse position with great precision.
In Round 7, Artemiev defeated Magnus Carlsen after the Norwegian made a serious mistake on move 15. This victory pushed Artemiev a full point ahead of the field.
He calmly closed the day with two draws against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Alexey Sarana. “I am pleased with my performance, and everything is feeling good,” Artemiev said after the games.
Hans Niemann Keeps Pace
Hans Niemann also had a strong showing. He scored 3.5 points out of 4, giving away only one draw to Ray Robson.
With steady play and good time management, Niemann joined Artemiev at the top of the standings.
Carlsen Recovers After Setback
Carlsen’s Day 2 began poorly. Against Vachier-Lagrave, he struggled in a Sicilian Defence and settled for a draw in a rook endgame.
The next round brought a major shock as Artemiev defeated him convincingly. Carlsen left the playing hall visibly frustrated.
However, the former world champion bounced back strongly. He defeated Shant Sargsyan in Round 8 and Ray Robson in Round 9. With two consecutive wins, Carlsen climbed back to 7 points, staying firmly in the title race.
Young Stars and Mixed Fortunes
Fourteen-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus impressed everyone. He scored 3.5/4 on the day, defeating strong players like Nihal Sarin and Jorden van Foreest.
World Champion Gukesh D had an uneven day. After early draws, he beat David Anton but then lost badly to Abdusattorov, finishing on 6.5 points.
Defending Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin showed improvement but remains on 4.5/9. Veteran Levon Aronian struggled early but recovered to reach 5/9. Ian Nepomniachtchi also had a mixed day and now sits on 6 points.
Women’s Rapid: Koneru and Zhu Share the Lead
The Women’s Rapid section remains extremely close. Humpy Koneru, the defending champion, scored 3.5 points on Day 2 and reached 6.5/8.
She is joined at the top by Zhu Jiner, who recovered from multiple draws with a crucial win in the final round. Both leaders are closely followed by a large chasing pack on 6 points.
Zhu Jiner Finishes Strong
Zhu Jiner drew games against Goryachkina, Batsiashvili, and Mariya Muzychuk.
In the final round, she defeated Divya Deshmukh after a late blunder by her opponent. This win lifted Zhu back into joint first place.
Ju Wenjun Faces Difficult Day
World Champion Ju Wenjun suffered a tough Day 2. She lost early, recovered with two wins, but then fell again in the final round after time trouble.
With 4.5/8, she is now far behind the leaders.
Final Day Promises Fireworks
Sunday will be the final day of the 2025 FIDE World Rapid Championship. There are still four rounds in the Open and three rounds in the Women’s section. With standings so tight, anything can happen in Doha
Photos: Anna Shtourman, Lennart Ootes, FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
