Bengaluru: Five years prior, Koneru Humpy experienced what she described as an “unexpected” victory. She had returned to competitive play a year earlier at the 2018 Batumi Olympiad after a self-imposed hiatus to manage a challenging pregnancy, its associated prenatal complications, and the subsequent responsibilities of motherhood.

Upon her arrival in Moscow for the 2019 World Rapid and Blitz Championship, there were few indications that she might emerge as a title contender. “Humpy, why do you even want to play rapid when you’re really not proficient at it, instead of focusing on classical?” her longtime rival Ju Wenjun remarked with a chuckle before the tournament. Humpy persevered through intense tiebreaks following a three-way tie for first place, ultimately securing her first women’s world rapid title. She became only the second Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, to claim the world rapid championship. On Saturday, in New York, the 37-year-old Indian Grandmaster achieved this feat for a second time—this occasion without the necessity of tiebreaks. Ju from China and Kateryna Lagno from Russia finished as the runners-up and in third place, respectively.

Humpy is now tied with Ju as the only player to have won the Women’s World Rapid title on two occasions. Last year, she finished as the runner-up in the rapid category.

“In 2019, I was filled with ambition, eagerly awaiting my first world title,” Humpy, currently ranked sixth in the world, stated. “Achieving the title at 37 is no easy task. This time, I faced numerous struggles throughout the year, making this victory a surprise. In fact, I found myself at the bottom of the standings in several tournaments, which left me in a very low state. I even questioned whether I should continue playing or if it was time to retire. Such thoughts occupied my mind, and I was uncertain about participating in the World Rapid and Blitz in New York due to the time difference and jetlag. Ultimately, I chose to give it a try, and I am pleased that I made the right choice.

“This victory holds special significance for me. I was feeling down, and this win motivates to continue fighting and to dedicate myself to chess once more.”

Teenager Murzin secures the open title, while Arjun finishes in fifth place

Eighteen-year-old Russian Grandmaster Volodar Murzin has achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the second-youngest world rapid champion, securing the title in the open section with an impressive undefeated score of 10 out of 13. The previous record was held by Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who won the title at the age of 17 in 2021. Murzin demonstrated exceptional skill throughout the tournament, maintaining his lead from the very first round. Notable players he triumphed over include Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, R Praggnanandhaa, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Expressing his disbelief, the young champion remarked, “I hope this is not a dream. I don’t know what to say. In rapid, I try to play solid. The position may be equal, but I’ll just keep playing, and perhaps my opponent will make a mistake that I can capitalize on.”

Alexander Grischuk and Ian Nepomniachtchi secured the second and third positions, respectively, resulting in a complete podium sweep for Russia.

It is noteworthy that both the current classical and rapid world champions are also 18 years old. Arjun Erigaisi, who was tied for the lead heading into the final day, suffered a defeat against Grischuk, ultimately finishing with a score of 9 out of 13, placing fifth overall and achieving the highest score among Indian competitors in the open section.

Read Also: Koneru Humpy's Historic Win: PM Modi Praises Her Grit and Inspiration

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