We Watched It Live: The 2025 World Rapid & Blitz Was Absolute Madness (and We’ll Remember It)

If you followed the 2025 World Rapid & Blitz Championships, you know exactly what I mean.
And if you didn’t… this was one of those events worth going back and replaying. Fast time controls, human mistakes, moments of pure genius, fearless young players, and legends reminding us why they’re still there. This was the perfect way to close 2025: real chess, unfiltered.

I wanted to write this post not as a theory lesson, but the way chess friends talk after a big tournament — what stood out, what surprised us, and which games are simply worth revisiting.

🏆 Magnus Carlsen is still Magnus

Let’s start with the obvious — and still impressive.

Magnus Carlsen did it again:

• World Champion Rapid

• World Champion Blitz

• World titles number 19 and 20

But what really stood out wasn’t just that he won — it was how he managed the tournament.

In the Rapid Championship, he suffered a mid-event setback that would have shaken many players. Magnus didn’t panic. He adjusted, stayed patient, and closed the tournament the way true champions do.

In Blitz, he once again looked completely at home: tense positions, limited time, practical decisions, and constant pressure. 

📌 Diagram #1 – Carlsen controlling the chaos
Carlsen vs Niemann – World Rapid Championship, round 11

⚡ Blitz at its highest level: Carlsen vs Nodirbek Abdusattorov

This was one of the most anticipated blitz matchups of the event.
Different generations, different styles — maximum tension.

You don’t even need deep analysis to enjoy this one. Time pressure dominates, coordination matters more than material, and every small slip can be fatal. Commentators and fans alike pointed out how comfortable Magnus looked even in the messiest positions.

📌 Diagram #2 – Pure elite blitz

60...e3! won the championship
https://www.chess.com/events/info/2025-fide-world-blitz-championships

🌟 Faustino Oro plays without asking permission

If one name kept generating buzz, it was Faustino Oro. At just 12 years old, he wasn’t playing to “see what happens.” He was playing to compete.

He embraced complications, took the initiative, and showed zero fear of the stage or his opponents’ reputations. Results aside, what people talked about most was his attitude: fast, creative, and confident.

📌 Diagram #3 – Initiative and courage

Oro means GOLD

Leinier Domínguez: pure class and consistency

For those who have followed Leinier for years, his Rapid performance felt like a confirmation. Fifth place!

In a format as volatile as rapid, staying solid round after round is no small achievement. Leinier didn’t rely on fireworks — he relied on clarity, technique, and experience.

📌 Diagram #4 – Technique and control
Leinier Domínguez vs Eduardo Iturrizaga

🌎 A detail worth mentioning

In Blitz, the highest-placed Latin American player was Chilean grandmaster Cristóbal Henríquez, finishing 33rd.

In such a brutal field, competing at that level already says a lot. These may not be headline results, but they matter, and they show continued Latin American presence on the world stage.

♟️ Final feeling

This World Championship wasn’t perfect — and that’s exactly why it was so good. We saw mistakes, brilliance, time scrambles, and wildly different styles clashing every round. It was raw chess, the kind many of us love most. We close 2025 with plenty of games to revisit and start 2026 with renewed motivation to sit down at the board again.

We’ll keep talking chess.
Because after a tournament like this, there’s always more to say.

This is just the beginning.
In the next post, we’ll dive into the Women’s World Rapid & Blitz Championship, where fighting spirit, precision, and unforgettable moments once again reminded us why women’s chess continues to rise and inspire.

Stay tuned — Part II is coming soon.