Tomorrow marks the beginning of the World Rapid and Blitz in New York.
15 Azerbaijani chess players will compete in the season-ending event, and FIDE has evaluated the balance of power ahead of the tournament, Idman.biz reports.
Over 300 top chess stars will participate in this year’s open and women’s competitions. Among them are current and former world champions, continental and Olympic medalists, as well as elite grandmasters from around the world, competing in various formats with different time controls.
Leading the open tournament is Magnus Carlsen, five-time world champion and currently the world number one. The Norwegian superstar has won 6 blitz titles and 5 rapid titles.
Carlsen will face many strong rivals, including Americans Fabiano Caruana (current U.S. champion and former world championship contender) and Hikaru Nakamura, a five-time U.S. champion and one of the world’s most influential blitz players. Despite focusing on streaming, Nakamura remains one of the greatest players of all time.
Carlsen will also face pressure from 21-year-old Iranian-born French player Alireza Firouzja, who has solidified his status as one of the strongest players challenging Carlsen's leadership this year.
The tournament will also feature former world championship contenders, including Yan Nepomniachtchi, Boris Gelfand, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Alexander Grischuk, as well as winners of previous blitz and rapid championships.
Notable U.S. grandmasters, including Olympians Wesley So and Lenier Dominguez Perez, will also be competing.
In contrast to Carlsen’s dominance in the open tournament, the women’s rapid and blitz events are known for their unpredictability. Leading the women’s tournament is Chinese world champion Ju Wenjun, with former and current world champions such as Aleksandra Kosteniuk, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Valentina Gunina, and Kateryna Lagno also competing. The U.S. will be represented by top players including Alice Lee, current U.S. champion Karissa Yip, and former champion Irina Krush.
The Azerbaijani chess players participating in the World Championship include Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Eltaj Safarli, Aydin Suleymanli, Vasif Durarbayli, Mahammad Muradli, Vugar Rasulov, Riad Samadov, Vugar Manafov, Gunay Mammadzada, Gulnar Mammadova, Khanim Balajayeva, Ulviyya Fataliyeva, Govhar Beydullayeva, Zeynab Mamedyarova, and Turkan Mamedyarova.
Idman.biz
