In an exhilarating climax at Hammersmith, I proudly held onto my crown as WR Chess triumphantly defended their title at the FIDE World Blitz Team Championship. We sealed consecutive golds by edging out KazChess in two nail-biting final battles, securing a hard-fought 4-2 victory.
Star Power: A Blitz-Heavy Lineup
The team boasted a stellar lineup: Alireza Firouzja, Hikaru Nakamura, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Wesley So, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda – each ranked among the top 11 in blitz ratings. Their impressive background in blitz chess was evident from the start, making the team a force to be reckoned with right off the bat.
Pool Day Domination
On June 14, during the round-robin tournament, team WR won every one of their 12 matches without conceding a single victory to their opponents. Hikaru Nakamura scored 6 out of 7 games and Alireza Duda was almost flawless with 11.5 wins out of 12. Even an extraordinary upset where IM Khagan Ahmad, who is only 13 years old, managed to defeat Nakamura, failed to slow down WR’s progress.
Quarterfinal Controversy & Successful Appeal
In the quarterfinals, an unexpected turn of events took place when team WR Chess was over two minutes late for their initial game against Germany and Friends. This tardiness resulted in a shocking 2-4 loss. However, WR claimed that they weren’t informed about the exact start time by the organizers. The appeals committee agreed with their complaint, annulled the outcome, and mandated a replay. In this rematch, team WR Chess triumphed comfortably with a score of 4.5-1.5.
Semi and Final: Grinding It Out
WR outplayed Hexamind during the semifinals (5.5-0.5 and 3-3), and then faced KazChess in a nail-biting final. The two final matches ended with scores of 4-2 for WR, demonstrating their strength and determination. Firouzja played a crucial role, scoring 7 out of 8 games in the final and receiving the title of Player of the Day.
Reflections from the Team
Wadim Rosenstein, who’s not just a team owner but also an avid board game enthusiast, was thrilled about their win and commended the tournament for its success. He emphasized the importance of the ruling in favor of them, highlighting its fairness considering the communication issue that had arisen.
What This Means for Team Chess
- Blitz expertise reigns supreme: WR’s lineup of blitz specialists—Nakamura, Firouzja, MVL, Nepo—proved decisive in tight knockout matches.
- Team depth trumps individual brilliance: With six elite players rotating, WR stayed fresh and flexible throughout the knockout stages .
- Spotlight on procedural fairness: Their quarterfinal appeal echoes Carlsen’s own history of timely protests—and underscores the need for clearer scheduling practices .
Final Standings – Blitz Top 4
| Position | Team |
|---|---|
| 🥇 1st | WR Chess |
| 🥈 2nd | KazChess |
| 🥉 3rd | Hexamind |
| 4th | Uzbekistan |
What Lies Ahead?
As an avid chess enthusiast, I’m excited about the new chess title from WR Chess, which they’re aiming to conquer in upcoming team events. Meanwhile, it’s off to Tashkent for the world’s top grandmasters, as the UzChess Cup gets underway on June 19th.
Keep an eye on TopMob as we delve deeper into the details of forthcoming team competitions, highlight notable players, and offer exclusive peeks at what happens backstage!
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2025-06-16 21:30