World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships start in Astana this week

The World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship will be officially opened on August 1 in Astana, Kazakhstan. This five-day chess bonanza will feature both the world champion Ding Liren and the world’s top-rated player Magnus Carlsen, alongside a star-stunned lineup of super-grandmasters playing alongside amateur players

Following the 2023 World Rapid Teams competition in Düsseldorf, Germany, this year’s edition also includes a Blitz tournament and will last two days longer. The event will host the FIDE 100 Torch Relay celebration, exhibitions, simuls, and discussions.

“This is going to be a spectacular event, and we are pleased it’s taking place in Kazakhstan, which has recently become a global center for chess thanks to the efforts of Kazakhstan Chess Federation and Freedom Holding Corp.,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.

“The lineup looks like the World Cup or the Chess Olympiad – super GMs from all over the world in one place! Including a non-professional player is important as it opens chess to a broader audience and adds unpredictability to the outcomes. We are also pleased to add the Blitz event to the Rapid,” Dvorkovich added.

World #1 Magnus Carlsen will lead WR Team in Astana

The Rapid and Blitz competitions will feature over 350 players representing 39 teams, including participants from the 2023 edition. A stellar lineup of current and former top world grandmasters will compete for a total prize fund of €350,000. The event will be broadcast live on FIDE’s YouTube channel.

The Championships will take place at the QazExpo Congress Center, Kazakhstan’s largest expo center, and will be open to the public through a ticketing system. Tickets can be purchased online here.

A Week of Chess Festivities in Astana

The event will start with FIDE’s Torch Relay and a spectacular Opening Ceremony held at the Astana Amphitheater on the Esil River Embarkment (Turan Avenue, 2/6). The torch will be carried along the streets of Astana from the “Atameken” monument to the stage of the Opening Ceremony by top chess players participating in the Championships, local authorities, famous athletes of Kazakhstan, young chess stars of the country.

The torchbearers include Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Oljas Bektenov, Äkım of Astana Jenis Qasymbek, a Kazakh cosmonaut Talgat Musabayev, world #1 Magnus Carlsen and Hou Yifan, and many others.

Other side events also include the photo exhibition “Capture” by photographer Stev Bonhage, a simul for chess bloggers and influencers, a football match involving players and officials, a simul at Astana IT University, a school visit by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, and the traditional Kazakh Tusau Kesu ceremony.

On August 4, there will be a chess simul for children with disabilities at the Hilton Hotel in Astana and the Business Women Brunch event chaired by FIDE Managing Director Dana Reizniece-Ozola, focusing on overcoming barriers and achieving success in the professional field.

Astana is set to host an unforgettable week celebrating the game of chess and the centenary of FIDE.

Official website of the event: worldrapidblitzteams.fide.com/registered_teams_rapid

Photos: Lennart Ootes, Mark Livshitz, Niki Riga and Stev Bonhage