Day 1
The FIDE World Rapid Championships are taking place in Doha, Qatar, from 26 to 28 December at the Sports and Events Complex in Qatar University.
- Open format: Swiss system with 13 rounds
- Women’s format: Swiss system with 11 rounds
- Time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds increment per move, from move one.
- Tie-breaks for first place: If two players tie for first, a 2-game playoff (3 min + 2 sec) determines the champion; if still tied, one sudden death game is played. For more than two tied players, a knockout bracket with single sudden-death games decides the title.
Read the full regulations: Open | Women’s
Find all technical information on Chess-Results: Open | Women’s
Live games and commentary
Open
Women’s
Official commentary by FIDE
Commentary by the ChessBase India team
Full schedule – Open
Find the full schedule for the women’s section here.
About the event
The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025 will take place in Doha, Qatar from 25 to 30 December, bringing together the world’s elite chess talent for a thrilling end-of-year showdown. Held at the Sports and Events Complex, Qatar University, this edition features both Open and Women’s events in Rapid and Blitz formats, with a total prize fund of €1,000,000. Doha returns as host after nine years, underscoring Qatar’s growing stature in the chess world.
The full list of registered players can be found here:
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