World Rapid and Blitz Teams
It was a treat to see so many of the world's top players in London for the World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships last week. Now in its third edition, the event has an unusual format, in which teams of six must include one female player and one rated below 2000 (roughly, a strong club player). That drew a sociable mix of teams, including traditional clubs, both from the UK and abroad, some national teams, and some teams with corporate sponsorship.
My team, Malcolm's Mates (Malcolm Pein is the federation's international director), had a considerable overlap with the English national team, with additional strong players from abroad. But we were knocked out of the blitz event by WR Chess, whose team of superstars (including the reigning world blitz champion Ian Nepomniachtchi, as well as Hikaru Nakamura and Alireza Firouzja) went on to win the whole thing. In the final round of the rapid event, we were beaten by the winning team MGD1, named after the Indian chess management firm whose star player is 21-year-old Arjun Erigaisi, currently ranked fourth in the world.
Perhaps the most beautiful game of the event was the one below, in which Erigaisi was beaten by Viswanathan Anand. The former world champion, now the deputy president of Fide, remains a formidable player at the age of 55 and represented the team Freedom, who also sponsored Fide's individual World Rapid and Blitz event in New York last year. Anand joked later that the game made him feel like a one-trick pony, referring to the similarity with his celebrated game against Levon Aronian at Wijk aan Zee, 2013, in which his bishops also bore down on the white kingside with decisive effect.
Arjun Erigaisi-Viswanathan Anand
Fide World Rapid Team, London 2025
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 d5 4 e3 Be7 5 b3 O-O 6 Bd3 c5 7 O-O Nc6 8 Bb2 cxd4 9 exd4 Nb4 10 Be2 b6 11 Nc3 Bb7 12 Rc1 dxc4 13 bxc4 Rc8 14 Ne5 Nd7 15 Nxd7 Qxd7 16 d5 Rfd8 16…exd5 17 a3 Nc6 18 Nxd5 leaves the knight well placed in the centre. 17 a3 Na6 18 Ne4 Energetic play. In case of 18…exd5, Erigaisi might have been tempted by 19 Qd4 Bf8 20 Nf6+ gxf6 21 Rc3, when the threats of Rc3-g3+ and Qd4xf6 pose severe problems. Nc5 19 Qd4 f6 20 Nxc5 Bxc5 21 Qg4 f5 Now 21…exd5 22 Qxd7 Rxd7 23 Bg4 wins rook for bishop. Opening the long diagonal for the Bb2 looks risky, but Anand has lined up a nimble counterattack. 22 dxe6 Qe7 23 Qxf5 Rd2 24 Bd3 g6 25 Qe5 (see diagram) Walking into Anand's trap. It was time to bail out with 25 Qf7+ Qxf7 26 exf7+ Kxf7 27 Bc2 when Black's active pieces provide ample compensation for the pawn, so the game remains balanced. Rxb2!! Forced, as White was threatening mate, but also the start of a dazzling combination. 26 Qxb2 Qg5 27 g3 The f-pawn is pinned by the Bc5, so f2-f3 was impossible, but now the light squares around the king are fatally weakened. Qg4! This wonderful quiet move had to be seen by Anand far in advance. The chief threat is Qg4-f3, while 28 Qe2 is met by Bf3 with Qg4-h3 to follow. 28 Qf6 Rf8 Yet again, the only winning move. 29 e7 Rxf6 30 e8=Q+ Rf8 31 Qe2 Bf3 White resigns
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