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DOHA, QATAR — The 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships concluded on Tuesday with a historic milestone for Magnus Carlsen and a triumphant return to the top for Bibisara Assaubayeva. In a dramatic final day at the Qatar University Sports and Events Complex, Carlsen secured his 20th overall world championship title, while Assaubayeva clinched her third Women’s World Blitz crown.
Carlsen’s “Comeback for the Ages”
Despite entering the second day of the Blitz tournament a full point behind the leaders and suffering an early loss by forfeit for accidentally pressing the clock before resetting fallen pieces, Magnus Carlsen proved once again why he is the world number one.
The 35-year-old Norwegian survived a grueling 19-round Swiss stage to qualify for the four-player knockout. After defeating American rival Fabiano Caruana in the semifinals, Carlsen faced Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov in a high-stakes final. Though he lost the opening game, Carlsen fought back to win the second and fourth games, securing a 2.5–1.5 victory.
This victory marks Carlsen’s ninth World Blitz title. Combined with his six Rapid titles (including the one earned earlier this week in Doha) and five Classical crowns, Carlsen’s tally now stands at an unprecedented 20 world championships.
“Probably one of the hardest earned ones,” Carlsen said following his victory. “I don’t think I ever looked particularly likely to win the event, but so long as I’m not mathematically eliminated, then ruling me out is probably not a good idea.”
Assaubayeva Secures Triple Crown and Candidates Spot
In the women’s section, 21-year-old Kazakh Grandmaster Bibisara Assaubayeva reaffirmed her status as the queen of speed chess. Following a chaotic Swiss stage that saw five players tied for the lead at 11/15, Assaubayeva navigated the knockout rounds with surgical precision.
Assaubayeva swept China’s Zhu Jiner 3–0 in the semifinals before defeating Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk 2.5–1.5 in the final. The match was decided in a tense final game where Assaubayeva capitalized on Muzychuk’s time trouble to claim the win.
This is Assaubayeva’s third World Blitz title (following 2021 and 2022). More significantly, the victory secures her a coveted spot in the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, making her the first representative from Kazakhstan to qualify for the event.
Final Standings & Highlights
Category Gold Silver Bronze
Open Blitz Magnus Carlsen (NOR) Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) Arjun Erigaisi (IND) / Fabiano Caruana (USA)
Women’s Blitz Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) Anna Muzychuk (UKR) Zhu Jiner (CHN) / Eline Roebers (NED)
Key Takeaways:
The Doha Double: Carlsen has now won both the Rapid and Blitz titles in the same year five times (2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025).
Kazakh Pride: Assaubayeva was awarded the Order of Barys, 2nd degree, by the Kazakh President for her historic achievement.
Rising Stars: 21-year-old Abdusattorov and India’s Arjun Erigaisi (who led much of the Swiss stage) solidified their positions as the primary challengers to Carlsen’s dominance.
