Viswanathan Anand returns to the board at World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship
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Legendary five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand is set to compete once again, representing the Freedom team at the World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship in London.
The squad is led by FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky, and Anand is the only Indian player featured on the team.
Among the top contenders is the WR Chess team, expected to dominate the tournament.
With Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen opting out of FIDE events, the team will be led by Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi on the top board. Other powerhouses on the WR Chess roster include Alireza Firouzja, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and Wesley So.
India's rising chess stars will also be in action.
Arjun Erigaisi will lead his team on the top board, supported by seasoned GM P Harikrishna. World junior champion V Pranav and Luke Leon Mendonca are also set to compete, with the latter considered a promising talent following the footsteps of India’s new generation of chess prodigies, including D Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun, and Aravindh Chithambaram.
GM Nihal Sarin will represent the fifth-seeded Ashdod Elite Chess Club and will feature as the top board player, similar to Anand and Arjun. Notably absent from this edition are Carlsen and Gukesh, both of whom have opted out of the tournament.
The tournament includes a unique twist in team composition rules—each round must include at least one female player and one player rated below 2200 on the most recent FIDE ratings list published on June 1. This format adds a strategic layer and unpredictability, distinguishing it from standard team events.
Prize money for the event is substantial, with winners of the rapid and blitz categories set to earn USD 110,000 and USD 75,000 respectively. The previous edition saw major success, largely due to Carlsen’s participation, and anticipation remains high despite his absence this year.
For Indian fans, much of the excitement hinges on Arjun Erigaisi’s performance, which could significantly influence his team’s chances at the title.