Tue Dec 31 01:36:37 UTC 2024: ## Humpy Eyes Blitz Title After Winning Second World Rapid Chess Crown

**Almaty, Kazakhstan:** Indian chess grandmaster Koneru Humpy is aiming for a double victory after securing her second FIDE Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship title on Sunday. Humpy defeated Indonesia’s Irene Sukandar to claim the championship, becoming only the second player after China’s Ju Wenjun to achieve this feat. This win follows her previous victory in 2019 and caps a stellar year for Indian chess. Humpy will now compete in the FIDE World Blitz Championship, starting Tuesday, with another $60,000 prize up for grabs.

A strong Indian contingent will participate in both the open and women’s sections of the Blitz Championship. While Dronavalli Harika is considered a strong contender, R Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh will hope to improve upon their performances in the Rapid event.

In the open section, Magnus Carlsen, despite his disqualification from the Rapid event due to a dress code violation, remains the favorite. However, India’s R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi, along with Alireza Froujza (France) and Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan), are expected to challenge for the title. Erigaisi, who narrowly missed winning the Rapid title, will be striving for a strong performance to secure his place in the 2026 Candidates tournament.

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