If you thought the opening day of the FIDE World Rapid Chess 2025 in Doha was intense, Day 2 turned the heat up several notches in the women’s section. Reigning champion Koneru Humpy stormed back from a shaky start to claim a joint lead, proving once again why she dominates this format. Sharing the top spot with China’s Zhu Jiner at 6.5/8 points, Humpy set the stage for a thrilling clash between the two leaders in Round 9.
World Rapid Chess 2025 Women’s Day 2
The atmosphere in World Rapid Chess 2025 women’s section buzzed with anticipation as Humpy, starting Day 2 from 30th place after Round 4, unleashed her trademark precision. She kicked off with a gritty win over Mongolia’s Bat-Erdene Mungunzul in Round 5, capitalising on a late endgame blunder to pocket her fourth point and climb to 13th. Momentum built fast. In Round 6, Humpy dismantled Russia’s Yana Zhapova with Black in just 37 moves, showcasing razor-sharp tactics that pushed her to seventh place with five points.
Round 7 delivered pure chess drama. Koneru Humpy crushed Spain’s Sara Khadem in 31 moves, surging to sole lead at 6/7 and silencing any doubts about her title defence. The Indian ace, aiming for a third World Rapid crown and second straight after her 2024 New York triumph, looked unstoppable. But Round 8 brought a twist. Facing Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina, the top seed, Humpy battled through a topsy-turvy knight endgame. Despite good winning chances late on, she settled for a draw, allowing Zhu Jiner to join her at 6.5 points after the Chinese GM’s strong run.
Others Trailing Behind
Trailing half a point behind on 6/8 are nine players, including India’s Dronavalli Harika, Russia’s Kateryna Lagno and Aleksandra Goryachkina, China’s Lei Tingjie, Ukraine’s Mariya Muzychuk, and others like Nino Batsiashvili and Meri Arabidze. Harika’s steady play keeps her in podium contention, adding Indian flavour to the chase. Humpy’s path featured five wins and three draws, highlighting her resilience in rapid’s unforgiving pace, 15-minute games with 10-second increments demand flawless calculation under pressure.
With three rounds left on Sunday, the women’s title fight hangs in the balance. Humpy versus Zhu Jiner looms large, a matchup that could decide the champion. Humpy’s composure, from swindling advantages to punishing errors, echoes her past glories. Can she defend her crown amid this fierce pack? Doha delivers non-stop action, and Humpy leads the charge. Stay tuned as these queens battle for rapid glory.
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