Ju is women’s world blitz champion, Nepo and Carlsen share open title

Carlsen’s streak, Nepo’s comeback and an unexpected conclusion

The final day of the World Blitz Chess Championship, held on 31 December 2024, delivered drama, excitement and an unexpected conclusion. The day began with an intense quarterfinal match between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann, culminating in Carlsen’s victory. It ended with Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi agreeing to share the title after an epic 7-game final. Carlsen claimed his eighth world blitz title, while Nepo celebrated his first triumph in the event, marking a memorable close to the competition.

The journey to the shared title was anything but uneventful. In the quarterfinals, Carlsen overcame Niemann after an emotionally charged encounter, bouncing back from an initial loss to win two consecutive games. Reflecting on the tension, Carlsen noted the psychological challenges of the match and confessed, “I had to fight hard both against him and with myself”.

In game 2 of the quarterfinal match, Niemann got to checkmate Carlsen’s king.

Nepo, meanwhile, comfortably defeated Volodar Murzin, Wesley So eliminated Alireza Firouzja and Jan-Krzysztof Duda edged past Fabiano Caruana to secure semifinal spots.

Magnus Carlsen had a strong emotional reaction after beating Hans Niemann in the quarterfinals (captured in this video) | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes

In the semifinals, Nepo needed 5 games to outlast So, relying on sudden-death overtime after their 4-game match ended in a draw. Carlsen, by contrast, cruised past Duda with a dominant 3-0 scoreline. The final, a rematch of the 2021 World Championship in classical chess, promised a thrilling contest between the two heavyweights.

Carlsen entered the final as the clear favourite, buoyed by his unparalleled track record and a 5-game winning streak. The Norwegian extended his streak to 7 with 2 early victories in the final, forcing Nepo into a situation in which he needed to win back-to-back games on demand to keep the battle going. Displaying remarkable resilience, Nepo won twice in a row to level the score and push the contest into overtime.

Nepo played a marvellous final move to prompt Carlsen’s resignation in game 4.

The tension remained high in the sudden-death games, with neither player able to break through. The first game ended in a 43-move draw, followed by 2 more balanced struggles concluding in 31 and 48 moves, leaving the score tied at 3½-3½. Cameras caught the finalists conversing after the third draw, and it was revealed that Carlsen proposed sharing the title. Amid suspense and speculation, the players embraced, and the official announcement confirmed their joint victory.

It was an action-packed final match | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes

Communicating their proposal of sharing the title | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes

Carlsen later explained his reasoning: “It had been a long day. We played many games, and I felt that continuing would have been too much. Sharing the title felt like the right solution”. The decision highlighted the mutual respect between Carlsen and Nepo, who were both born in 1990 and have been rivals and colleagues throughout their careers. This year’s championship thus ended on a note of camaraderie, showcasing the shared journey of two of the sport’s finest players.

Of course, not respecting the regulations fully prompted diverging opinions, with Norwegian journalist Tarjei J. Svensen sharing on X:

I lost count of how many times I’ve argued with people who proposed sudden death as a way to determine the winner, instead of Armageddon. Here we see the problem. […] This feels like a situation that could’ve happened some 30-40 years ago, but not in 2024. I have no idea which other sport players can just agree to share the world championship title, but that shouldn’t happen.

Hans Niemann was even more critical of the situation:

FIDE goes from forfeiting Carlsen to creating an entirely new rule. Seems like the the regulatory body of chess has no intention of being unbiased. They seem to only care about what one player thinks.

The ever-controversial Hans Niemann | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes

Ian Nepomniachtchi was very relieved after beating Wesley So in their fifth game of the semifinals | Photo: FIDE / Michael Walusza

Jan-Krzysztof Duda knocked out current US champion Fabiano Caruana to reach the semifinals | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes

All games – Knockout

Women’s section: Ju beats Lei in overtime

The women’s knockout stage showcased fewer twists and turns but a fair share of intense competition, with 3 out of the 7 matches going to overtime. Ultimately, Ju Wenjun emerged victorious, claiming the women’s world blitz title for the first time in her career. Ju, the reigning women’s world champion in classical chess, defeated Lei Tingjie in the final match. It was a rematch of their classical title contest last year, which had also gone Ju’s way.

Ju’s path to the final was commanding, as she scored convincing 2½-½ victories over defending champion Valentina Gunina and Vaishali Rameshbabu in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. Lei, on the other hand, had to work harder to secure her spot. She edged out 3-time women’s world blitz champion Kateryna Lagno in a fiercely contested quarterfinal before overcoming Bibisara Assaubayeva in a tough semifinal match.

Ju Wenjun | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

World champion in blitz and classical chess | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

The all-Chinese final began with Lei holding the white pieces. Both players, deeply familiar with each other’s styles, chose a cautious approach. All 4 regulation games ended in draws, with neither Ju nor Lei willing to take significant risks. Sudden-death games followed, and Ju defended resolutely with black in the first overtime game, holding a 38-move draw. With the white pieces in the second game, Ju capitalised on her chances to secure the title.

In the deciding encounter, Lei played a theoretical pawn sacrifice early in the opening…

…but failed to find compensation later on, as Ju showed great technique to make the most of the material advantage she gained at such an early stage.

The spectators at Cipriani Wall Street, the elegant New York venue, gave the new champion a standing ovation.

This triumph added another accolade to Ju’s illustrious career, complementing her classical and rapid titles. Before this victory, her closest attempt at the women’s world blitz title was a third-place finish in Riyadh in 2017. Similarly, Lei had achieved her best world blitz performance with a third-place finish in the 2018 championship in Saint Petersburg.

It was a hard-fought final match | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

A friendly post-mortem | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Lei Tingjie and Ju Wenjun joined by semifinalists Kateryna Lagno and Vaishali Rameshbabu | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

All games – Knockout

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