News > FIDE World Rapid and Blitz: Carlsen struggles; Arjun, Raunak, Harika top Indians

FIDE World Rapid and Blitz: Carlsen struggles; Arjun, Raunak, Harika top Indians

The 2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship began with quite an upset as Magnus Carlsen, the World No 1 and defending World Rapid champion, was stunned by 18-year-old GM Denis Lazavik and managed just 2.5 points out of 5. Being held at New York's Wall Street for the first time, the first day of competition saw five rounds of rapid chess and teenagers shine through in it. Volodar Murzin, 18, and Alice Lee, 15, were the leaders after the first day of play.