Indian chess star Koneru Humpy faced a major disappointment in her quest for a third world rapid title, ending up with a bronze in the women’s section of the FIDE World Rapid Championships on Sunday, due
to the tie-break rule.
Humpy, who won the world rapid title in 2019 and 2024, tied for the top spot with China’s Zhu Jiner and Russian Grandmaster Aleksandra Goryachkina at 8.5 points after the 11th and final round.
However, according to the international chess federation’s (FIDE) tie-breaker rules for players with the same score – specifically Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz, and Average Rapid Rating of the Opponents – Humpy fell behind Zhu and Goryachkina, finishing third after coming so close to securing her third world rapid title.
Humpy had scores of 69, 74, and 2335 in these parameters, while Zhu (72.5, 77.5, and 2410) and Goryachkina (71.5, 77, and 2360) ranked higher to compete for the top spot.
Goryachkina, the highest-rated Russian woman in chess history and winner of the Women’s Chess World Cup in 2023, defeated Zhu 1.5/0.5 in the tie-breaker to claim her first world rapid title and a 40,000 Euro prize.
Humpy’s compatriot and former World Rapid bronze medallist, young B Savitha Shri, put up a spirited fight in the 11th and final round to split a point with Humpy.
Had Humpy secured a full point, she would have finished with nine points and made history by winning her third world rapid title, an achievement no woman player has reached so far.
Humpy missed a winning line, and the 18-year-old Chennai chess prodigy, playing with white pieces, took the game to a draw after 64 moves.
The world No.1 Magnus Carlsen showcased his supremacy by clinching his sixth World Rapid title in the ‘Open’ category, adding to the titles he won in 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023. He got 70,000 Euros for the win.
The Norwegian, who had not taken his seventh-round loss to Vladislav Artemiev lightly, won three consecutive games on the final day to take a one-point lead and then drew the 13th and last game against Dutch GM ANish Giri to finish on 10.5 points.
Russian GM Artemiev (9.5) was second, while Arjun Erigaisi earned a win against Russian GM Aleksandr Shimanov to jump to 9.5 points and secure a bronze ahead of American Hans Niemann (9.5) and Cuban-American Leinier Domínguez (9.5).
The world champion in classical chess, D. Gukesh (8.5 points) finished 20th, while Nihal Sarin (8.5) was 19th. R. Praggnanandhaa, also on 8.5, was 27th.
The World Blitz Championships will commence on Monday with eight-time champion Carlsen favourite in the event.
