Overview
- Goryachkina defeated Zhu Jiner 1.5–0.5 in a playoff after both finished on 8.5/11, securing her first women’s rapid world title.
- Carlsen scored 10.5/13 to win his sixth rapid crown, rebounding from a loss to Artemiev with five straight wins and a final-round draw.
- Artemiev placed second on 9.5 points, with Arjun Erigaisi third on the same score by Buchholz; Hans Niemann, also on 9.5, decried Buchholz tiebreaks and urged playoffs for all medals.
- Russian officials criticized Carlsen for not resetting pieces and for pushing a broadcaster’s camera after losing to Artemiev, with federation figures Sergei Smagin and Andrey Filatov issuing sharp public remarks.
- The blitz world championship is now underway in Doha (Dec 29–30), where 12-year-old Sergey Sklokin upset reigning world champion Gukesh in round three.