Historic first: Two chess champions get crowned world blitz champions 2024
(MENAFN) In a historic first, Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi were jointly crowned the World Blitz Chess Champions 2024 on Wednesday. The unprecedented decision came after seven games ended in a tie, with neither player emerging as a clear winner. Carlsen, the five-time reigning champion from Norway, dominated the start by winning the first two games, but Nepomniachtchi from Russia fought back to level the score.
Following three consecutive draws in sudden-death tiebreakers, Carlsen suggested sharing the title, a proposal that Nepomniachtchi agreed to, resulting in both players being crowned champions. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) celebrated the moment as historic.
However, the decision faced criticism, particularly from US grandmaster Hans Niemann, who accused FIDE of favoring one player, referencing recent controversies such as Carlsen's brief disqualification over a dress code issue. FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich stated that officials would revisit dress code policies, while American-Canadian FIDE master Alexandra Botez expressed concern, saying the move made chess "soft."
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