Magnus Carlsen once again proved why he is considered one of the greatest chess players of all time, winning his ninth World Blitz Championship after a thrilling comeback victory in Doha, Qatar. Despite early struggles in the tournament, the Norwegian star showed remarkable resilience and class, defeating Nodirbek Abdusattorov 2.5–1.5 in the final match.
Carlsen’s path to the title was far from smooth. After the first day of blitz games, he was only in 11th place, well outside the top contenders. Things became even worse at the start of the final day when he lost a game to Haik Martirosyan in unusual circumstances. During the game, Carlsen accidentally knocked over several pieces and pressed his clock before restoring them properly. The arbiter intervened and ruled the game a loss, a decision Carlsen accepted without protest.
After round 14, Carlsen had dropped to 23rd place, and many fans began to doubt whether he could defend his title. At that point, his chances looked slim.
That was when Carlsen reminded everyone why he is world number one across all chess formats. He responded with four consecutive wins, beating Rudik Makarian, Bu Xiangzhi, Ihor Samunenkov, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. The victory over Vachier-Lagrave was especially important, as it pushed Carlsen into the Top 4, just enough to qualify for the knockout stage. In the final round, Carlsen drew quickly and advanced to the semifinals alongside Abdusattorov.
After 19 rounds, Arjun Erigaisi finished first with 15 points, followed by Fabiano Caruana with 14. Carlsen placed third with 13.5 points, while Abdusattorov secured the final semifinal spot on tie-breaks. The semifinals and final were played as matches of up to four games, with the winner being the first to reach 2.5 points.
In the semifinals, Carlsen defeated Caruana convincingly by 3–1, while Abdusattorov upset Erigaisi 2.5–0.5 to set up a high-profile final.
The championship match took place on December 30 and attracted tens of thousands of live viewers on the FIDE YouTube channel. Playing White in the first game, Carlsen surprisingly lost after reaching a knight-versus-bishop endgame, where Abdusattorov expertly neutralized White’s pieces. However, Carlsen struck back immediately in the second game with Black, winning what looked like a completely equal endgame. His superior king and knight activity allowed him to target a weak pawn and slowly turn the position in his favor.
The decisive game showcased Carlsen’s legendary endgame skills. He steered the game into a same-colored bishop endgame, gained a small pawn advantage, and applied relentless pressure. Even though computer engines suggested the position was roughly equal, experts believed Abdusattorov would struggle to defend it. They were proven right, as Carlsen finished the match with two beautiful sacrifices, forcing resignation after 62 moves.
After the final handshake, Carlsen turned toward the audience, smiled, and clapped his hands together in celebration. The victory had extra meaning, as he was getting revenge for his loss to Abdusattorov at the 2021 World Rapid Championship, where the young Uzbek grandmaster went on to win the title.
With this triumph, Carlsen completed another rapid and blitz double, winning both world titles within five days. It marked the fifth time he has achieved this rare feat, having done so previously in 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, and now 2025. He also secured his fourth consecutive World Blitz Championship, further cementing his dominance.
Across his career, Carlsen has now collected 20 major world titles, including championships in classical, rapid, and blitz chess, as well as victories in the World Cup and esports competitions.
Shortly after his win, Carlsen posted a characteristically sharp and humorous tweet that perfectly captured his mindset after yet another world title.
Once again, Magnus Carlsen did what he has done so many times before — and once again, the result was the same: another world championship trophy.
Rewatch the 2025 World Blitz Championship here
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