The World Rapid and Blitz Team Chess Championships 2024 was a team chess tournament organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to determine the world team champions in chess played under rapid and blitz time controls.
The 2024 tournament between club teams included both rapid and blitz time formats. It organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in collaboration with the KazChess/Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KCF), with financial support from Freedom Holding Corp. The tournament took place from August 1 to 5, 2024, in Astana, Kazakhstan.https://worldrapidteams2023.fide.com/https://www.chess.com/events/info/2024-fide-world-rapid-and-blitz-team-chess-championships
Overview According to the tournament regulations, teams consisted of 6-9 players. Matches between teams in both rapid and blitz were played on six boards, with each team required to have at least one female player (5th board) and one amateur player (6th board) whose FIDE rating in any time control—standard, rapid, or blitz—had never reached 2000 Elo points (as of registration). The team captain could be a playing member.
The 2024 World Rapid Team Championship took place from August 2 to 4 and consisted of 12 rounds using a Swiss system.
The 2024 World Blitz Team Championship was held on August 5 in two phases. In the first phase, teams played in a round-robin format in five groups (A, B, C, D, and E) of 8 teams each. The top three teams from each group, along with the best fourth-placed team, advanced to the knockout phase. The draw for the Round of 16 was conducted based on the standings in the groups and the average ratings of the teams. The top 16 teams then competed in a knockout format: Round of 16 — Quarterfinals — Semifinals — Final.
Participants Over 300 participants from around the world formed 40 teams for the competition. Among the participants were both current (Ding Liren and Ju Wenjun) and former world champions (Magnus Carlsen, Hou Yifan, Alexandra Kosteniuk), as well as vice-champions, World Cup winners, and world champions in rapid and blitz from various years.
Most Notable Participants (Ratings as of August 1, 2024) AchievementPlayerTeamRapid RatingBlitz RatingCurrent World ChampionsDing LirenDecade China Team27752785Ju WenjunDecade China Team25402500Former World ChampionsMagnus CarlsenWR Chess Team28272888Hou YifanWR Chess Team25502529Alexandra KosteniukWR Chess Team24852460Vice-World ChampionsIan NepomniachtchiWR Chess Team27532777Humpy KoneruChessy24562432World Cup WinnersJan-Krzysztof DudaWR Chess Team27422762Peter SvidlerKazchess27282687Alexandra KosteniukWR Chess Team24852460Rapid World ChampionsNodirbek AbdusattorovWR Chess Team27322669Daniil DubovAlain ACMG UAE27162802Shakhriyar MamedyarovKazchess26872712Ju WenjunDecade China Team25402500Kateryna LagnoAlain ACMG UAE24662478Humpy KoneruChessy24562432Anna MuzychukChessy24042408Blitz World ChampionsAlexander GrischukKazchess26702681Kateryna LagnoAlain ACMG UAE24662478Bibisara AssaubayevaKazchess24342457Anna MuzychukChessy24042408 Favorites
Before the championship, based on achievements and the average ratings of team participants in rapid, FIDE identified the following teams as favorites:
WR Chess Team – 2582 (Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Hou Yifan, Wadim Rosenstein, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Vincent Keymer, Alexandra Kosteniuk) Decade China Team – 2559 (Ding Liren, Wei Yi, Wang Yue, Yu Yangyi, Ju Wenjun, Pang Bo, Li Chao, Xu Xiangyu, Li Deyan) Chessy – 2528 (Richard Rapport, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, Jorden van Foreest, Alexey Sarana, Humpy Koneru, Mukhtar Ainaikul, Aik Martirosyan, Anna Muzychuk, Yagyz Kaan Erdogmus) Alain ACMG UAE – 2519 (Vladislav Artemiev, Daniil Dubov, Parham Maghsoodloo, Dmitry Andreikin, Kateryna Lagno, Wafiya Darvish al-Maamari, Volodar Murzin, Zhu Jinyer, Ibragim Galyamzhanuly) Kazchess – 2510 (Peter Svidler, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Alexander Grischuk, Darmeen Sadvakassov, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Alimzhan Ayapov, Alisher Suleimenov, Aldiyar Ansat, Nurmuhammed Kabinazar) Team MGD1 – 2453 (Arjun Erigaisi, Sunilduth Lina Narayanan, Raunak Sadhwani, Baskaran Adhiban, Harika Dronavalli, Mihir Shah, Vijay Pranav, Narayanan Srinath)
Format and Rules The FIDE World Rapid Team Championship was played with a time control of "15+10" (15 minutes per game with a 10-second increment per move starting from the first). It consisted of 12 rounds using a Swiss system. Teams received 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 for a loss. The team with the highest number of team points became the rapid world champion.
The FIDE World Blitz Team Championship was played with a time control of "3+2" (3 minutes per game with a 2-second increment per move starting from the first). It consisted of two phases. In the first phase, teams played in a round-robin format across five groups (A, B, C, D, and E) of 8 teams each. The top three teams from each group, along with the best fourth-placed team, advanced to the knockout phase, where teams competed in a two-match final. The team winning the final was crowned blitz world champion.
Prize Fund The total prize fund for the championship was €350,000, distributed as follows: PlaceRapidBlitz1st€100,000€40,0002nd€60,000€25,0003rd€40,000€17,5004th€25,000€17,5005th€12,500-1st "under 2400"€12,500-Total€250,000€100,000
Results The 2024 FIDE World Rapid Team Championship was won by the team "Al-Ain ACMG UAE" (Vladislav Artemiev, Daniil Dubov, Parham Maghsoodloo, Dmitry Andreikin, Kateryna Lagno, Wafiya Darvish al-Maamari, Volodar Murzin, Zhu Jiner, Ibragim Galyamzhanuly), who scored 21 team points (10 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss) across 12 matches.
The silver medals went to the "Decade China Team" (20 points), while the bronze medals were awarded to last year's champion, the "WR Chess Team" (19 points). The fourth place was taken by "Chessy" (18 points), and the fifth place went to "Team MGD1" (17 points). The prize for teams with an average rating below 2400 was won by "Royal Chess": starting as the 10th seed (2390), they finished 7th (14 points).
The fate of all medal sets was decided literally "at the last moment": the gold was secured for "Al-Ain ACMG UAE" by the first victory (!) of their top player Daniil Dubov, while Hou Yifan's win helped the defending champion "WR Chess Team" maintain third place.
Notable individual results include a sensational defeat of the reigning champion and rating leader "WR Chess Team" by "Chessy" with a score of 5:1 in the fourth round, where Magnus Carlsen (2827), playing white, chose to stop the clock and resign without waiting for the 24th move of the black pieces commanded by Richard Rapport (2702). PlaceTeamGamesPointsTB1TB21Al-Ain ACMG UAE1221635.5472Decade China Team122068252.53WR Chess Team1219533.542.54Chessy121860645.55Team MGD11217583446Ashdod Chess Club121454542.57Royal Chess1214450.5378Rookies1214432409GMHans.com1213505.53710Kazchess1213498.540.511Q4Rail Kingsofchess Krakow1213450.536.512Hunnu Air12134444113Theme International Trading121342338.514Teniz Kazakhstan1213412.53915Noval Group Kyrgyzstan12133904016Greco12124244217FIDE Management Board1212415.536.518World Champions Higher School1212403.53719Astana-212123943820GMs Kazakhstan1212370.53321Storm of Dragons121236438.522Astana-11212359.53123Chess Ratel1212350.53524TKM Chess121230338.525Future GM1212275.537.526Kyrgyz Chess Academy121132034.527Chess Mates1211265.534.528Kazakhstan Dream Team1211240.530.529Egypt121032933.530Helicopter121027129.531KRG-Team129221.529.532Abai Chess Team12922031.533Chess Empire129195.528.534Chess Dream128236.53135VKO Team12821929.536Baiterekchess124190.523.537Chessacademy_pvl124170.522.538Abai's Gambit Pioneers12412319 Additionally, the top three players on each board were awarded prizes, not just on the six main boards, but across all nine, based on the maximum allowed in the application. The main indicator was the Tournament Performance Rating (TPR), reflecting the level at which a player performed in the tournament, calculated based on the number of games played, points scored, and opponents' ratings.
Gold Medalists by Board:
Magnus Carlsen (2827, "WR Chess Team") – 2895 (6½ points out of 8 possible); Wei Yi (2771, "Decade China Team") – 2822 (10/12); Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2742, "WR Chess Team") – 2756 (5½/8); Dmitry Andreikin (2644, "Al-Ain ACMG UAE") – 2815 (9/10); Alexey Sarana (2648, "Chessy") – 2681 (7/10); Klaudia Kulon (2313, "Q4Rail Kingsofchess Krakow") – 2273 (6½/12); Ju Wenjun (2540, "Decade China Team") – 2451 (8/12); Bella Khotenashvili (2399, "Ashdod Chess Club") – 2326 (7/12); Pang Bo (1400, "Decade China Team") – 2624 (11/11).
The 2024 FIDE World Blitz Team Championship was won by the "WR Chess Team" (Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Hou Yifan, Wadim Rosenstein, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Vincent Keymer, Alexandra Kosteniuk), who defeated "Team MGD1" in the final over two matches. The bronze medals went to the losing semifinalists – "Chessy" and "Al-Ain ACMG UAE."
In the first stage, 40 teams were divided into 5 groups of 8, which played against each other in a round-robin format, similar to the rapid event: team vs. team on six boards, including a woman (5th board) and an amateur player with a blitz rating below 2000 (6th board). In case of a tie in team points, the Sonneborn-Berger coefficient was used for team (TB1) and individual points (TB2).
Group A: PlaceTeamGamesPointsTB1TB21WR Chess Team71438842GMHans.com71231.5603Rookies71027.5404Theme International Trading7823.5245Kyrgyz Chess Academy7619126Chess Empire74947Storm of Dragons721508Baiterekchess704.50 Group B: PlaceTeamGamesPointsTB1TB21Al-Ain ACMG UAE71235562Team MGD171233603Teniz Kazakhstan71026.5364Helicopter7618145Egypt7515.5106Chess Mates7514107Chessacademy_pvl728.508VKO Team705.50 Group C: PlaceTeamGamesPointsTB1TB21Decade China Team71436.5842Royal Chess71233.5603Greco7925344GMs Kazakhstan7823285FIDE Management Board7723206Chess Ratel7315.537Chess Dream73838ChessStar703.50 Group D: PlaceTeamGamesPointsTB1TB21Chessy71433842Ashdod Chess Club71235603Astana-271025404Noval Group Kyrgyzstan7724235World Champions Higher School7624.5146Future GM7311.5117KRG-Team728.568Abai's Gambit Pioneers726.54 Group E: PlaceTeamGamesPointsTB1TB21Kazchess71434.5842Astana-171230.5603Q4Rail Kingsofchess Krakow71028.5404Hunnu Air7826.5245TKM Chess7620126Kazakhstan Dream Team741247Abai Chess Team7210.508ChessStar705.50 The top three teams from each group advanced to the playoffs, along with the best of the five teams that finished in 4th place – Hunnu Air (Group E). The draw for the round of 16 was conducted based on the teams' placements in their groups and their average ratings. The opponents then faced off in two-match showdowns with alternating colors.
Round of 16:
WR Chess Team (No. 1) – Hunnu Air (No. 14) – 4½:1½, 4½:1½ Al-Ain ACMG UAE (No. 2) – Astana-1 (No. 11) – 6:0, 3½:2½ Greco (No. 15) – Decade China Team (No. 3) – 1½:4½, 2½:3½ Chessy (No. 4) – Q4Rail Kingsofchess Krakow (No. 12) – 4:2, 4:2 Rookies (No. 13) – Kazchess (No. 5) – 2½:3½, 2:4 Team MGD1 (No. 6) – Astana-2 (No. 16) – 5½:½, 4:2 Teniz Kazakhstan (No. 12) – Ashdod Chess Club (No. 7) – 3:3, 1:5 GMHans.com (No. 9) – Royal Chess (No. 8) – 3½:2½, 5:1
Quarterfinals:
GMHans.com – WR Chess Team – 2½:3½, ½:5½ Decade China Team – Al-Ain ACMG UAE – 3:3, 3:3, 2½:3½ Kazchess - Chessy – 3:3, 1:5 Ashdod Chess Club – Team MGD1 – 2:4, 1½:4½
Semifinals:
Team MGD1 – Al-Ain ACMG UAE – 3:3, 3:3, 5½:½ WR Chess Team – Chessy – 4½:1½, 3:3
Final:
Team MGD1 – WR Chess Team – 2½:3½, 3:3
As with the rapid tournament, the top three players on all nine boards were awarded prizes.
Gold Medalists by Board:
Ediz Gurell (2465, "Rookies"); Ian Nepomniachtchi (2777, "WR Chess Team"); Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2762, "WR Chess Team"); Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (2693, "WR Chess Team");