World Blitz: Carlsen and Nepo are cochampions after 'Wall Street Gambit', Wenjun wins Gold, Vaishali Bronze

by Shahid Ahmed - 01/01/2025

Magnus Carlsen (NOR) suggested sharing the World Blitz Championship with Ian Nepomniachtchi after they drew three tie-break games in the Finals. In an unprecedented situation, apparently it was decided to make them cochampions. The online tournaments witness more number of Playoffs. If Armageddon is not there, infinite number of sudden death games were to be played until a clear winner was decided, well at least that's what the regulations implied. It was probably a 'Wall Street Gambit' after all. Wenjun Ju (CHN) defeated her compatriot Tingjie Lei (CHN) to clinch World Blitz Women title for the first time in her career. R Vaishali and Kateryna Lagno won Bronze in Women, Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL) and Wesley So (USA) received Bronze in Open. Photo: FIDE/Michal Walusza

Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi get 'tired' of draws in the Playoffs

In which sport, two players decide that they have played enough against each other and let's share the World title? If you are trying to recollect and failing, chances are there is none. Tennis players played for over 11 hours at Wimbledon 2010. If the format/regulations has an option for infinite matches, there should be so. After all, isn't that good for the viewership and sponsors? Of course, like everything else, this can be debated for either side depending on your logical fallacy.

World Rapid 2024 Open Top 3 (L to R): Silver - GM Alexander Grischuk 9.5/13, Gold - GM Volodar Murzin 10/13 and Bronze - GM Ian Nepomniachtchi 9.5/13 | Photo: FIDE/Michal Walusza

World Rapid Women Top 3 (L to R): Silver - GM Wenjun Ju (CHN) 8/11, Gold - GM Koneru Humpy 8.5/11 and Bronze - GM Kateryna Lagno 8/11 | Photo: FIDE/Michal Walusza

The total prize fund in Rapid was US$ 550000, for Blitz it was US$ 450000 in Women. The top three prizes in Rapid were US$ 90000, 70000 and 56000 each, for Blitz they were US$ 90000, 70000 and 42000 (3rd-4th).

World Blitz Open Top 3 (L to R): Gold - GM Magnus Carlsen (NOR) and GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, Bronze - GM Wesley So (USA) and GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL) | Photo: FIDE/Michal Walusza

World Blitz Women Top 3 (L to R): Silver - GM Tingjie Lei (CHN), Gold - GM Wenjun Ju, Bronze - GM Kateryna Lagno and GM R Vaishali

Magnus Carlsen's phenomenal understanding of imbalances - Nepomniachtchi vs Carlsen, Finals Game 1 | Video: ChessBase India

Nepo's immortal against Magnus Carlsen, Finals Game 4 | Video: ChessBase India

Reaction of the chess universe to World Blitz finishing in cochampions.

Video Gallery

Quarterfinal match: Magnus Carlsen vs Hans Niemann | Video: ChessBase India

Behind the Scenes of how Carlsen and Nepo became joint World Blitz Champions! | Video: ChessBase India

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Replay Live Commentary of World Blitz Day 2 by FI Niklesh Jain from 2 p.m. local time, next day 12:30 a.m. IST | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Knockout Open games

Replay Knockout Women games

Quarterfinal Open results

No.		Name	FED	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Pts.
Quarterfinal - Round 1 (2024/12/31)

3	GM	Carlsen Magnus	NOR	½	0	1	1					2½
6	GM	Niemann Hans Moke	USA	½	1	0	0					1½

1	GM	Nepomniachtchi Ian	FID	½	1	1						2½
8	GM	Murzin Volodar	FID	½	0	0						½

7	GM	Duda Jan-Krzysztof	POL	1	½	1						2½
2	GM	Caruana Fabiano	USA	0	½	0						½

4	GM	So Wesley	USA	½	½	1	1					3
5	GM	Firouzja Alireza	FRA	½	½	0	0					1

Details

Semfinal results

No.		Name	FED	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Pts.
Semifinal - Round 2 (2024/12/31)

3	GM	Carlsen Magnus	NOR	1	1	1						3
7	GM	Duda Jan-Krzysztof	POL	0	0	0						0

1	GM	Nepomniachtchi Ian	FID	0	½	1	½	1				3
4	GM	So Wesley	USA	1	½	0	½	0				2

Details

Final standings in Open

No.		Name	FED	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Pts.
Final - Round 3 (2024/12/31)

1	GM	Nepomniachtchi Ian	FID	0	0	1	1	½	½	½		3½
3	GM	Carlsen Magnus	NOR	1	1	0	0	½	½	½		3½

Details

Quarterfinal Women results

No.		Name	FED	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Pts.
Quarterfinal - Round 1 (2024/12/31)

1	GM	Vaishali Rameshbabu	IND	0	1	½	1					2½
8	GM	Zhu Jiner	CHN	1	0	½	0					1½

2	GM	Lei Tingjie	CHN	1	½	½	½					2½
7	IM	Assaubayeva Bibisara	KAZ	0	½	½	½					1½

6	IM	Yip Carissa	USA	½	0	1	0					1½
3	GM	Lagno Kateryna	FID	½	1	0	1					2½

5	GM	Ju Wenjun	CHN	1	1	½						2½
4	GM	Gunina Valentina	FID	0	0	½						½

Details

Semifinal results

No.		Name	FED	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Pts.
Semifinal - Round 2

1	GM	Vaishali Rameshbabu	IND	½	0	0						½
5	GM	Ju Wenjun	CHN	½	1	1						2½

2	GM	Lei Tingjie	CHN	½	0	1	½	½	1			3½
3	GM	Lagno Kateryna	FID	½	1	0	½	½	0			2½

Details

Final results

No.		Name	FED	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Pts.
Final - Round 3

2	GM	Lei Tingjie	CHN	½	½	½	½	½	0			2½
5	GM	Ju Wenjun	CHN	½	½	½	½	½	1			3½

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