The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Chess Championships have become one of the most exciting events on the chess calendar. After expanding to a five-day event in London in 2025, with the blitz section extended to two days, the tournament has returned in the same format this year. The 2026 edition is being held from 17–21 June at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong.
The event is open to teams of six players, selected from squads of up to nine, with no restrictions on nationality. Unsurprisingly, the host region has the largest representation, with 91 players from China and 35 from Hong Kong. India has the third-highest participation, with 34 players competing across various teams.
Indian players made their presence felt from the very first day, with R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh and Viswanathan Anand producing some of the most notable storylines of the tournament.
Representing ChessGurukul, R Praggnanandhaa registered one of the standout results of the opening day by defeating World No. 2 Alireza Firouzja on the top board. In a high-quality strategic battle, the Indian grandmaster steadily increased the pressure before launching a powerful kingside attack. Firouzja’s decision to grab a pawn left his king vulnerable, and Praggnanandhaa took full advantage, converting his edge with remarkable precision. The victory proved crucial as ChessGurukul edged Hexamind Chess Team 3.5–2.5 in a closely fought contest.
The match also featured an all-Indian clash on board five, where reigning World Junior Champion Divya Deshmukh overcame Vaishali R. Divya’s victory earned an important point for Hexamind and once again highlighted her growing stature among India’s brightest young talents.
For five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, it was a challenging day. Anand first suffered a defeat against German grandmaster Arkadij Naiditsch. He later returned to the board against 19-year-old Indian talent Ilamparthi AR and was forced to work hard for a draw.
Representing Freedom, Anand faced determined resistance throughout the game, with Ilamparthi generating dangerous attacking chances in the middlegame. As both players entered severe time trouble, the game ended in a draw by repetition. The youngster may even have had opportunities to press for a victory against the former world champion.
With Praggnanandhaa defeating Firouzja, Divya securing a key win and Viswanathan Anand enduring a difficult but eventful day, Indian players ensured a memorable start to the championship in Hong Kong, underlining the country’s growing depth and strength in world chess.
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