The much-anticipated World Rapid and Blitz Championships, featuring nearly 300 players from around the globe, including some of the biggest names in chess.
The event, running from December 26 to December 30, is set to be one of the strongest tournaments ever held on U.S. soil and will take place in New York.

The tournament will take place over five days at a venue in Manhattan. The schedule is as follows:
December 26: Rapid Round 1 to 5
December 27: Rapid Round 6 to 9
December 28: Blitz Round 1 to 12
December 29: Blitz Round 13 to 21
December 30: Tie-breaks (if necessary) and closing ceremony
The event promises thrilling encounters in both the Open and Women's sections, as elite players battle for the title in fast-paced time controls.
Reigning World Chess Champion Gukesh D, who recently won the FIDE World Cup, will not be participating in this year's tournament, citing scheduling conflicts. His absence is a significant miss, as he would have been one of the top contenders in both formats.
Magnus Carlsen, former World Chess Champion, leads the Open section and is the top seed in both the Rapid and Blitz events. Carlsen is determined to defend his titles against a stellar lineup.
In the Women's section, Ju Wenjun, the reigning World Champion in classical chess, enters as the top seed and a favourite to win.
| Player | Country | Rapid Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Magnus Carlsen | Norway | 2838 |
| Fabiano Caruana | USA | 2766 |
| Ian Nepomniachtchi | Russia | 2758 |
| Levon Aronian | USA | 2757 |
| Alireza Firouzja | France | 2756 |
| Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2755 |
| Nodirbek Abdusattorov | Uzbekistan | 2740 |
| Wesley So | USA | 2739 |
| Player | Country | Rapid Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Ju Wenjun | China | 2536 |
| Lei Tingjie | China | 2518 |
| Tan Zhongyi | China | 2502 |
| Alexandra Kosteniuk | Switzerland | 2486 |
| Bibisara Assaubayeva | Kazakhstan | 2444 |
| Kateryna Lagno | Russia | 2433 |
| Humpy Koneru | India | 2431 |
| Mariya Muzychuk | Ukraine | 2422 |
Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa will be battling in the men's category in the tournament. Raunak Sadhwani, Sandipan Chanda are also going to be in the contention for India.
In the women's department - Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli and Divya Deshmukh are going to spearhead the Indian contingent.