Double Completed – Magnus Carlsen Is the 2025 World Blitz Champion

And then came the typical Magnus moment.

He took a deep breath, shifted gears, and won four games in a row. Going into the final round of the Swiss, a draw was enough to secure his place in the playoffs. The tension kept rising, move by move, game by game.

The Swiss stage was dominated by the impressive Arjun Erigaisi, who finished first. Second place went to Fabiano Caruana, third to Carlsen, and the final playoff spot was claimed by Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

The semifinals delivered a shock: both Erigaisi and Caruana were eliminated. And suddenly, it was time for the final. And from a spectator’s point of view, it could hardly have started better — Magnus Carlsen lost the first game.

The second game looked almost impossible to win. Or maybe it’s better to put it this way: positions like that, against elite opposition, might only be winnable by one person in the world — Magnus Carlsen.

Was it luck? Was it chance? Hard to say. What is certain is that these are exactly the moments where Carlsen separates himself from the rest. Where others defend and hope, Magnus keeps fighting — and very often, he wins.

That was the point where he once again reminded everyone why he is considered one of the greatest players ever. Calm under pressure, incredible patience, a deep feel for the position, and unwavering belief in his chances carried him one step further. This time, toward world title number twenty.

With the third game ending in a draw, everything came down to game four. And there, Magnus did what he has done so many times before: he stayed in control, finished the job, and left no doubts.

Once again, he confirmed that when everything is on the line, Magnus Carlsen simply gets it done.

Women’s Event

The women’s semifinals featured Bibisara Assaubayeva, Anna Muzychuk, Eline Roebers (personally my biggest favorite), and Zhu Jiner.

The final went all the way to the last game, and in the end, Bibisara Assaubayeva could celebrate the world title.

A fantastic chess event has come to an end — maybe the chess event of the year. I would like to thank everyone for all the great moments we shared throughout this year and wish you a wonderful New Year’s Eve and a perfect start to 2026.

All the best,
PK