"Murzin’s Breakthrough, Carlsen’s Clash, and Historic Wins": Last week of 2024
World Rapid & Blitz Championship 2024
"Welcome to the final week of 2024! This week was a whirlwind of unexpected victories, fiery controversies, and historic milestones. Whether you’re here for the games, the drama, or the legends, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the stories that made this week unforgettable."
🏆FIDE Men’s World Rapid Championship 2024
Russia Dominates:
Volodar Murzin, Alexander Grischuk, and Ian Nepomniachtchi on the Podium. The chess world witnessed a stunning Russian takeover at this year’s World Rapid Championship. Against all odds, Volodar Murzin, an unassuming 59th seed, clinched the title, leaving seasoned players and fans in awe.
Murzin’s Cinderella Story:
At just 18, Murzin’s journey to the championship was nothing short of miraculous. His fearless approach and tactical prowess were evident as he toppled giants like Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura. His game against Caruana in round 2 was a tactical masterpiece, blending aggression with precision.
“I came here to learn, not to win. But once I beat Caruana, something clicked,” said Murzin in a post-tournament interview
Murzin’s triumph wasn’t just about chess; it was a story of resilience, preparation, and seizing the moment.
Struggles of American Players:
Hikaru Nakamura started strong but faltered in critical moments. His loss to Murzin in round 8 was particularly crushing.
Fabiano Caruana had a solid run, finishing with 8.5/13, but missed crucial opportunities in the final rounds. However, he did win the FIDE Circuit, part of the qualification cycle for the next classical World Championship.
Wesley So faced setbacks, finishing with 7/13 after three wins, eight draws, and two losses. Arjun, who finished on nine points, had the greatest gain.
The Indian Contenders:
Arjun Erigaisi tied for third until round 11 but missed critical wins, finishing tied for 4th.
Praggnanandhaa, hailed as a prodigy, suffered a heartbreaking loss to Murzin despite holding a decisive advantage, dropping him to 17th position.
Chinese Players Miss Top 10:
Yu Yangyi played a steady tournament, finishing undefeated but missed an opportunity against Nepo in round 11, finishing in 13th.
Wei Yi underperformed, ending in 19th place.
🎭Chess Drama: “Jeans Gate”
Chess fans love a good controversy, and this week, it was all about Magnus Carlsen and his clash with FIDE.
What Happened?
On the second day of the Rapid Championship, Carlsen was fined $200 for wearing jeans, a breach of FIDE’s strict dress code. Instead of complying, Carlsen doubled down, refusing to change his attire, resulting in not getting paired for the 9th round as punishment and ultimately withdrawing from the tournament.
Carlsen to NRK:
“The way I feel right now, I am at full war with FIDE.”
Carlsen’s Statement:
"My patience with them was not very big to begin with. And it's OK, like they can enforce their rules, that's fine by me, and my response is that fine, then I'm out, then f**k you."
FIDE’s Response:
FIDE defended its stance, emphasizing the importance of professionalism in representing the sport. FIDE published an official statement stating the dress code ensures the values of "professionalism and fairness for all players." They also wrote that the dress regulations are drafted by the FIDE Athletes Commission, which is composed of professional players and experts, and that the rules "have been in place for years and are well-known to all participants."
Chief Arbiter Alex Holowczak confirmed that GM Ian Nepomniachtchi also received a $200 fine at the start of the day for wearing sports shoes but changed after the warning.
FIDE's CEO Emil Sutovsky justified the decision to Rozman in an interview, saying, "I think the decision of the chief arbiter was fully correct." He repeated that professional players took part in drafting the regulations. Carlsen also had plenty of time to change, he said, and his hotel was just three minutes away from the venue.
Sutovsky also commented on discussions that FIDE has been having with Freestyle Chess (which Carlsen promotes), saying that the dispute was solely about Freestyle Chess using the term "world championship" for their tournament series. FIDE, as the governing body, reserves the right to preside over world championships but cooperates with private organizations—he gave the Grand Chess Tour as an example—that do not use this terminology.
In a follow-up tweet, Sutovsky wrote, "No player was threatened—and to that effect, one may ask Gukesh, Fabi, Nodirbek, and others."
Other Responses:
Nakamura went on to say that jeans weren't a problem six to eight years ago, and he believes the dress code isn't in line with modern, business-casual fashion. He also advocated for the top-20 players to form a union so that their demands hold more weight.
Niemann said in his interview with Rozman that this was a bomb waiting to explode. "He now has the perfect excuse to completely challenge FIDE in a way he's wanted to do for a very long time."- says Hans Neimann.
None other than former World Champion Garry Kasparov, who has had his own rift with FIDE that started in the 1990s, simply posted a question: “What are we doing?”
The Turning Point:
After discussions with FIDE, Carlsen confirmed that he will participate in the 2024 FIDE World Blitz Championship in New York, after he received the green light to play with jeans.
Carlsen’s Statement:
“We can talk about how it got there, but I am playing at least one more day in New York, and if I do well, another day after that.”
"There was no room for discussions. Anand said very clearly that he didn't know any opportunity to do anything past going with the arbiter's honestly draconian decision of not pairing me. That means that for all his good qualities, he was not ready for the job. That's how I feel."- Carlsen confirmed he had conversations with Anand the following night.
During the interview with Rozman, Carlsen used the opportunity to strongly criticize FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky: "FIDE have been very, very difficult about that whole thing."
"Generally we have been able to reason with Dvorkovich. If you are talking about Sutovsky, well I don't think that man can be reasoned with in any way. We told them as much."- Magnus.
FIDE’s Response:
FIDE also issued a statement, confirming Carlsen's participation.
Meanwhile, Dvorkovich has released a statement regarding the dress code, saying they will "provide more flexibility to FIDE officials."
My Personal Take:
This was less about jeans and more about power dynamics. Carlsen’s frustration with FIDE has been brewing for years, and this incident was the tipping point of a bigger iceberg. While FIDE’s regulations are clear, their inconsistent enforcement undermined their authority. Both parties were at fault. Carlsen’s principles lacked clarity, and FIDE’s inconsistent enforcement of rules hurt their credibility.
🎭Chess News: Blitz Championship: A Shared Crown
Carlsen & Nepomniachtchi Make History
The Blitz Championship concluded in dramatic fashion, with Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi sharing the title after a nail-biting tiebreak.
How It Unfolded:
Carlsen started strong, winning his first two games in the final. Nepomniachtchi, however, fought back with tenacity, forcing a sudden-death tiebreak. After three draws, Carlsen, playing White in the final game, proposed sharing the title—a gesture Nepo accepted.
Historical Precedent:
This isn’t the first time a chess title has been shared. The 2020 FIDE Online Olympiad saw India and Russia declared joint winners after technical issues disrupted the event. Similarly, Carlsen shared the 2018 Sinquefield Cup title with Fabiano Caruana and Levon Aronian.
Reaction after the result:
Fans & Experts around the world had very mixed reactions.
WFM Alexandra Botez posted on X, “Chess is getting soft… this is a world championship title cmon”
GM Hans Neimann posted on X, "The chess world is officially a joke. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE IN HISTORY. I can't believe that the official body of chess is being controlled by a singular player FOR THE 2ND TIME THIS WEEK. THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE WORLD CHAMPION!”
GM Daniel Naroditsky posted on X, “If only I had known that the rules were flexible, I'd have lobbied for all 10 players who tied for first to be included in the knockout. Or, if we can have two co-champions, why not 10?! Alas...”
GM Anish Giri replied to Naroditsky, “30 is the sweet spot, I think.”
My Personal Take:
While the gesture was admirable, a world championship should always have a clear winner. FIDE must revise its rules to ensure that such situations are resolved on the board. Championships should be decided by skill, not agreements. FIDE needs to rethink its knockout format and bring back the Swiss system.
🌟 Women’s Rapid Championship: Koneru Humpy’s Comeback
Koneru Humpy,
India’s first women Grandmaster, entered the Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship with a lot on her plate—her own doubts included. Although she had previously won the World Rapid title five years ago, she wasn’t sure she could repeat that success. After losing her first-round game, she didn’t expect much. But Humpy’s journey through the tournament turned out to be a story of perseverance and steady play.
“I didn’t expect it at all,” she admitted after securing the title. “I lost my first-round game, and I never imagined I could finish as the world champion.”
Despite the early setback, Humpy bounced back with seven wins, three draws, and just one loss. Her victory was more than just a result of skill—it was about overcoming personal challenges and doubts.
Humpy said-“I was in a very low state, questioning whether I deserved to continue playing. But this victory gave me the confidence to keep going and work on chess again.”
The tournament ended in a dramatic final round with seven players tied for first place, but Humpy’s consistency and strong performance ensured she clinched the title, no tiebreaks required.
Her win serves as a reminder that even in tough times, persistence and hard work can lead to unexpected triumphs.
⚡Women’s Blitz Championship: Ju Wenjun’s Champion Play
In the Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship, Ju Wenjun proved why she’s one of the best by winning Silver in Rapid and Gold in Blitz. The tournament saw her face off against Lei Tingjie in a gripping final, but Ju’s calm and focused play made the difference.
Ju Wenjun had already shown her skill in earlier rounds, easily defeating defending champion GM Valentina Gunina and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu with scores of 2.5-0.5 in both the quarterfinals and semifinals.
The final was a different challenge. Ju and Lei battled through a tense series of games, but Ju came out on top in the second sudden-death game. Afterward, Ju credited her win to a mix of preparation and a bit of luck:
“Lei Tingjie is a very strong Blitz player, and I was just more lucky. I think we both played well. In game six, she played an opening I luckily checked earlier in the tournament.”- Ju Wenjun.
With her victory, Ju not only added another title to her collection but also set her sights on the Women’s World Chess Championship 2025, where she will face GM Tan Zhongyi in a bid to defend her title for a fourth time.
Ju’s steady approach to the game and her ability to perform under pressure highlight her strength as a competitor. That’s why, She is my favorite player.
Closing Statement:
With so much happening, we had to skip two sections—Chess Improvement and Creator’s Highlight. But don’t worry; they’ll be back next week with even more value for you.
As we step into the new year, let’s carry forward the lessons and excitement of 2024. Until then, keep playing, keep learning, and keep enjoying chess.