Carlsen regains world rapid title; Wesley So pockets P1 million

MANILA, Philippines – Magnus Carlsen reclaimed the rapid section crown while Wesley So settled for eighth place in the 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships on Sunday, December 28 (Monday, December 29, Manila time) in Doha, Qatar.

Showing why he’s the undisputed world No. 1, Carlsen posted 10.5 points to bag 70,000 pounds (P5.5 million) and clinch his sixth title in the 247-player event, where he vacated the throne last year due to a dress code dispute with the organizers.

The Bacoor, Cavite-born So drew with Cristobal Henriguez in the 10th round, beat Ray Robson in the 11th, but was forced to split the point with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Vladislav Artemiev, respectively, on the last day of the event to finish with 9.0 points in a tie for sixth to 12th places.

A three-time United States champion, So started on the wrong foot, losing to Norwegian Grandmaster (GM) Elham Amar before racking up victories over FIDE Master Sedrani Ammar, 12-year-old International Master Faustino Oro, and GM Abhimanyu Puranik on Saturday.

On Sunday, So drew with GM Bu Xiangzhi, trounced GM Max Warmerdam, drew with GM Maxim Matlakov, and toppled Aravindh Chithambaram.

After the tiebreak, So wound up behind sixth-placer Vachier-Lagrave and seventh-placer Javokhir Sindarov, the 2025 Chess World Cup champion, and ahead of Anish Giri (ninth), Andrey Esipenko (tenth), Daniil Dubov (11th), and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (12th).

If it’s any consolation, So bettered his 61st-place finish in 2024 and pocketed 13,000 pounds (around P1 million).

Artemiev, who stunned Carlsen in the seventh round, secured second spot with 9.5 points, besting third-placer Arjun Erigaisi of India, fourth-placer Hans Niemann, and fifth-placer Leinier Dominguez in the tiebreak.

The 1 million-pound event continues with the blitz competition on Tuesday, with Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi defending the title they shared last year. – Rappler.com