The 2024 FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship kicked off with major surprises in New York’s historic Cipriani Wall Street, as Magnus Carlsen suffered an unexpected defeat and four unexpected leaders emerged at the top of the standings.
| Rank | Title | Name | Rating | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GM | Murzin, Volodar | 2588 | 4.5 |
| 2 | GM | Sargsyan, Shant | 2601 | 4.5 |
| 3 | GM | Dominguez Perez, Leinier | 2699 | 4.5 |
| 4 | GM | Naroditsky, Daniel | 2638 | 4.5 |
| 5 | GM | Sadhwani, Raunak | 2591 | 4 |
| 6 | GM | Giri, Anish | 2678 | 4 |
| 7 | GM | Sevian, Samuel | 2614 | 4 |
| 8 | GM | Aronian, Levon | 2757 | 4 |
| 9 | GM | Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | 2740 | 4 |
| 10 | GM | Robson, Ray | 2645 | 4 |
| 11 | GM | Duda, Jan-Krzysztof | 2740 | 4 |
| 12 | GM | Erigaisi, Arjun | 2694 | 4 |
| 13 | GM | Nakamura, Hikaru | 2755 | 4 |
| 14 | GM | Sindarov, Javokhir | 2655 | 4 |
| 15 | GM | Nogerbek, Kazybek | 2526 | 4 |
| Rank | Title | Name | Rating | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IM | Lee, Alice | 2415 | 4 |
| 2 | GM | Ju, Wenjun | 2536 | 3.5 |
| 3 | GM | Tan, Zhongyi | 2502 | 3.5 |
| 4 | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | 2416 | 3.5 |
| 5 | GM | Batsiashvili, Nino | 2333 | 3.5 |
| 6 | IM | Mammadzada, Gunay | 2319 | 3.5 |
| 7 | GM | Gunina, Valentina | 2388 | 3 |
| 8 | GM | Muzychuk, Anna | 2408 | 3 |
| 9 | WGM | Uuriintuya, Uurtsaikh | 2188 | 3 |
| 10 | IM | Munguntuul, Batkhuyag | 2299 | 3 |
Unexpected leaders emerge
The tournament’s first day concluded with four players sharing the lead at 4.5/5 points, none of whom were among the top pre-tournament favorites. GM Volodar Murzin (2588), GM Shant Sargsyan (2601), GM Leinier Dominguez (2699), and GM Daniel Naroditsky (2638) have set the early pace, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of rapid chess.
Murzin, the 18-year-old Russian grandmaster, showcased remarkable composure, notably defeating Fabiano Caruana in a critical second-round encounter. In a post-game interview, Murzin reflected on his approach: “For me, [it’s] easy to play with strongest people because you can always play just quiet and, if you want you can make a draw.”
Carlsen’s struggles
The tournament’s biggest story has been Magnus Carlsen’s disappointing start. The Norwegian grandmaster, who was aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive rapid title, finds himself at just 2.5/5 after losing to GM Denis Lazavik in round five. The loss came in an Exchange Slav where Carlsen over-pressed with a kingside pawn storm that backfired.
Carlsen’s day included:
- Round 1: Draw vs. GM Awonder Liang (Four Knights Scotch)
- Round 2: Win vs. GM Denis Kadric
- Round 3: Draw (escaped from losing position)
- Round 4: Draw (escaped from losing position)
- Round 5: Loss vs. GM Denis Lazavik (Exchange Slav)
Daniel Naroditsky – American success stories
Daniel Naroditsky, making his World Rapid and Blitz debut, has emerged as one of the tournament’s most compelling narratives. The American GM achieved victories against IM Maksim Tsaruk, GM Aleksey Grebnev, GM Andy Woodward, and GM Brandon Jacobson, with a draw against FM Tani Adewumi.
Hikaru Nakamura, despite sitting at 4/5, experienced a dramatic moment when his opponent Alexander Donchenko claimed a 50-move draw one move before checkmate in their third-round encounter. Nakamura recovered well, winning his subsequent games to stay in strong contention.
Women’s championship: Alice Lee’s perfect start
The Women’s section, being held across the street at 48 Wall Street, has seen 15-year-old IM Alice Lee take the sole lead with a perfect 4/4 score. Lee’s remarkable run includes wins against:
- WGM Xeniya Balabayeva (Round 1)
- WGM Jennifer Yu (Round 2)
- IM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (Round 3)
- GM Valentina Gunina (Round 4)
Her final win of the day against Gunina was particularly dramatic, as the 2023 Women’s World Blitz Champion found the drawing move but lost on time before making it.
Notable absences and upsets
Newly-crowned Classical World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju withdrew after his recent victory over Ding Liren. Several top-10 seeds in the women’s section suffered first-round upsets:
- GM Lei Tingjie lost to WGM Nadya Toncheva
- GM Alexandra Kosteniuk fell to WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan
- GM Humpy Koneru was defeated by WIM Amina Kairbekova
Looking ahead
Day two will feature rounds 6-9 in the Open section and rounds 5-8 in the Women’s section. With $1.5 million in total prize money at stake ($90,000 for first place in Open, $60,000 in Women’s), the competition promises more excitement ahead.
The tournament also carries additional significance for Fabiano Caruana and Arjun Erigaisi, who are competing for the final 2026 Candidates Tournament spot through the FIDE Circuit standings. Caruana currently leads by six points, but Erigaisi (4/5) has started stronger than Caruana (3.5/5).
Round 6 will feature several crucial matchups, including:
- Board 1: Carlsen (2.5) vs. Hardaway (3.0)
- Board 2: Murzin (4.5) vs. Dominguez (4.5)
- Board 3: Sargsyan (4.5) vs. Naroditsky (4.5)
In the Women’s section, the key Round 5 match will pit leader Alice Lee (4/4) against top seed Ju Wenjun (3.5/4), potentially determining the trajectory of the tournament.
This historic event marks the first time these prestigious FIDE championships have been held in the United States, with the rapid portion running for three days, followed by the blitz competition.
