Uploaded December 2022 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, the two finalists of the thrilling Speed Chess Championship on chess.com, are among a star-studded field competing in the World Rapid & Blitz Championship which begins in Almaty, Kazakhstan on December 26.
For the 7th year since 2016, the prestigious speed chess event will take place from December 26-30. While questions about the scheduling of the World Rapid & Blitz during Christmas continue to come up, it remains immensely popular among fans, with most top players returning every year.
Magnus Carlsen, with an incredible 7 gold medals (3 rapid and 4 blitz), 3 silver and 2 bronze in the last 10 years, will be back and is once again the huge favourite. Carlsen took both titles in 2014 and 2019, but scored a disappointing 12th place in the blitz and 3rd in the rapid in Warsaw last year.
The Norwegian will be particularly eager to take back a World Championship title or two, as he is in danger of being without a single title for the first time since 2013.
Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, the two finalists of the thrilling Speed Chess Championship on chess.com, are among a star-studded field competing in the World Rapid & Blitz Championship which begins in Almaty, Kazakhstan on December 26.
For the 7th year since 2016, the prestigious speed chess event will take place from December 26-30. While questions about the scheduling of the World Rapid & Blitz during Christmas continue to come up, it remains immensely popular among fans, with most top players returning every year.
Magnus Carlsen, with an incredible 7 gold medals (3 rapid and 4 blitz), 3 silver and 2 bronze in the last 10 years, will be back and is once again the huge favourite. Carlsen took both titles in 2014 and 2019, but scored a disappointing 12th place in the blitz and 3rd in the rapid in Warsaw last year.
The Norwegian will be particularly eager to take back a World Championship title or two, as he is in danger of being without a single title for the first time since 2013.
