Magnus Carlsen claimed his sixth FIDE World Rapid Championship title on Sunday at the 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, finishing with an impressive 10.5 points out of 13 after a decisive final-day surge in Doha.
The Norwegian grandmaster edged Russia’s Vladislav Artemiev by a full point, adding another chapter to a career defined by recovery under pressure.
The title was Carlsen’s 19th world championship crown across classical, rapid and blitz formats – an unmatched total in modern chess.
The rapid event, played over 13 rounds with a 15-minute time control plus a 10-second increment, was far from smooth. Carlsen’s campaign wobbled on Saturday when he drew with France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and then lost to Artemiev in a pivotal clash that briefly shifted the momentum of the tournament.
Frustration spilled over as Carlsen exited the playing hall after that defeat, pushing away a photographer’s camera – an incident that quickly circulated online and revived memories of earlier flashes of temper from the fiercely competitive champion.
“When I look back on it now, I am just glad that I managed to turn it around,” Carlsen told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “Those two games were so different from everything else I did in the tournament. They were so disconnected from reality that it was completely embarrassing.”
FIDE chief executive Emil Sutovsky said the governing body has no immediate plans to sanction Carlsen over the incident unless an official complaint is filed.
By Sunday, the chess did the talking. Carlsen began the final day in a tie for second place and responded with the kind of relentless scoring run that has long defined his dominance in faster formats.
He methodically dispatched lower-rated opponents and delivered in critical encounters, steadily pulling clear of the field.
Artemiev finished second on 9.5 points, unable to capitalize further on his head-to-head win over Carlsen.
A strong field that included Fabiano Caruana, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Hans Niemann and rising Turkish talent Yagız Kaan Erdoğmuş faded as Carlsen tightened his grip at the top.
“I am not here filled with emotion or relief,” Carlsen said after sealing the title. “I see it more as a job well done.”
The victory further cemented Carlsen’s place in history. His six World Rapid titles are the most ever, and when combined with five classical world championships and seven world blitz crowns, his total of 19 world titles across FIDE’s three formats stands alone.
At 35, and after stepping away from defending the classical world championship, Carlsen continues to set the benchmark in rapid and blitz chess.
The blitz section of the championships runs through Dec. 31, where Carlsen, a seven-time world blitz champion, will again enter as the favorite.
