WR Chess successfully defended their title at the Rapid and Blitz Team Championships 2025 in a thrilling finale. After a hard-fought competition held in London, they once again proved why they are the team to beat in the fast-paced formats of rapid and blitz chess.
WR Chess Wins Second Consecutive Title
WR Chess clinched their second consecutive World Blitz Team Championship title by defeating KazChess in the final with identical scores of 4-2 in both matches. The team’s star players included Alireza Firouzja, Hikaru Nakamura, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who delivered crucial wins in the final match, securing the victory.
This victory confirmed their dominance in blitz chess since the championship began in 2023, following their first win in 2024 in Kazakhstan. The final game was intense, but the team’s experience and composure under pressure helped them maintain their lead throughout the match.
Team MGD1 Wins the Rapid Team Championship
In the Rapid Team Championship, Team MGD1 emerged as the winners. The team was led by GM Arjun Erigaisi, who bounced back strongly with 3.5 points out of 4 on the final day. MGD1 edged out Hexamind Chess Team by a single point.
Freedom took the bronze medal, despite a late queen blunder by Alireza Firouzja that cost them a podium finish in the rapid event. The rapid competition was equally fierce, with many teams showing strong performances, but the team’s consistency and teamwork ultimately made the difference.
The championships were held at the Novotel London West, featuring a prize fund of €500,000 split between rapid and blitz events. The competition format included a long pool stage followed by knockout rounds, with 53 teams initially competing and only 16 advancing to the knockout phase.
WR Chess showed their strength early on by winning all their matches on the first day of the Blitz Championship, with Hikaru Nakamura scoring an impressive 6/7. Despite a surprising loss to a 13-year-old opponent, the team maintained its focus and composure to reach the final and defend its title successfully.
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