13-Year-Old Chess Prodigy Beats Nakamura at 2025 World Blitz Championship
In an aftermath of explosive blitz games and tactical marvels at the 2025 World Blitz Team Championship, chess lovers witnessed the fantastic triumph of the top-seed favorites alongside an awe-inspiring performance of a 13-year-old prodigy over world number-two, Hikaru Nakamura. The New Jersey Chess Club reflects on these trailblazing battles of the seventh squares, imbued with strategic prowess and captivating drama.
The WR Chess, headlining the event, made an indomitable presence, securing all twelve of their matches. A stunning performance from GM Hikaru Nakamura landed a powerful 6/7 score. However, it was Nakamura's single loss that crystallized unforgettable memories of the tournament. The global chess community held its breath as the 13-year-old, International Master (IM) Khagan Ahmad from Azerbaijan, claimed victory over Nakamura - an upset that reverberated across borders.
Intense battles of skill and strategy spanned two days, featuring seven grueling hours devoted exclusively to the tournament's pool stage. The objective was simple but challenging: each team strived to secure a spot among the top four of their group, setting their path for the final knockout round. The grand masters retaliated with might, scoring significantly high, including GM Anish Giri's impressive ten wins out of eleven rounds.
Day five of the World Blitz Team Championship promises thrilling contests, set to begin on Sunday, June 15, at 9 a.m. ET. The corresponding 2025 World Blitz Team Championship was structured over two days, in contrast to the previous year's single-day event. With an increased pool stage of 13 rounds, each day of the championship was dedicated to a separate stage.
As the day one unfolded, teams engaged in fierce battles across four pools. Nakamura's WR Chess team asserted a dominant bestride Pool A with an unblemished record of twelve match wins that included four staggering 6-0 clean sweeps. In spite of achieving near-perfect scores, their journey was not without obstacles.
A close call came in round five against a youthful team that provided a rigorous challenge but fell short of qualification for the knockout round. The young Argentine star, 11-year-old IM Faustino Oro, dared to engage in an exciting bishop sacrifice against Nakamura's teammate, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. Though the effort concluded in a draw, it undoubtedly highlighted Oro's notable potential.
The World Blitz Team Championship revealed a constellation of prodigies. With stunning performances from young players, the future of chess looks incredibly promising. 10-year-old IM Roman Shogdzhiev, part of the qualifying Rookies team, and 14-year-old GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, who picked up 66 points with an unbeaten 11/12 score, were standout prodigies in Pool C, demonstrating that talent often outshines experience on the chessboard.
After two days of relentless warfare, the final sixteen teams have set their sights on the last day's knockout round. As the chess community eagerly awaits this roller-coaster contest, be sure to tune in and witness these riveting battles of the mind first hand.
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How to watch?
You can watch the 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championship on the FIDE YouTube channel and GM Hikaru Nakamura's Kick channel. The games can also be followed from our Events Page.
The live broadcast was hosted by GM Daniel King and IM Jovanka Houska.
The 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships run June 11-15 in London, UK, with over 50 teams of six players competing. Each team must feature at least one female player and one "recreational player," never rated 2000+. The Rapid is a 12-round Swiss with a time control of 15 minutes for all moves, plus a 10-second increment per move. The Blitz (3+2) begins with teams playing a round-robin in pools before the top 16 play a knockout, where each clash features two mini-matches.
