Indian Chess Soars to New Heights in 2024 as World Rapid and Blitz Championships Loom

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 25 - Indian chess has witnessed an unprecedented surge in 2024, with notable achievements including GM R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi's victories over Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh winning the Candidates Tournament, and both men's and women's teams securing gold at the Chess Olympiads.

The year concludes with the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York, USA, featuring over 300 players vying for the top spots. The stage is set for a thrilling showdown between Indian chess talents Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi, as well as top female players Harika Dronavalli, Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh, Vaishali Praggnanandhaa, Vantika Agrawal, and others.

The five-day tournament will begin on December 26 with the World Rapid Championships, followed by a day's break on December 29, before Blitz takes center stage on December 30-31. The Open section will feature 13 rounds in both Rapid and Blitz formats, while the Women's section will have 11 rounds each.

According to FIDE, the total prize fund nearing $1.5 million will be split across the Rapid and Blitz events. The tournament favorites include world champion Gukesh, reigning Rapid and Blitz titleholder Magnus Carlsen, five-time US champion Hikaru Nakamura, Iranian-French GM Alireza Firouzja, current US Champion Fabiano Caruana, India's Arjun Erigaisi, and Uzbek prodigy Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

In the women's section, stars like Ju Wenjun, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Valentina Gunina, Kateryna Lagno, and US Champion Carissa Yip are expected to put up a strong fight. Despite Gukesh withdrawing from the tournament, the Indian chess contingent is confident of securing medals.

The World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York promises to be an exciting conclusion to 2024's chess odyssey, with the world watching closely as India's young talent takes on the best of the best.