The 2022 FIDE World Rapid Championship is an elite over-the-board event featuring the best speed chess players in the world. Masters and national champions from around the globe gather to compete in a Swiss tournament for their share of the $350,000 prize fund. The event runs from December 26 through 28, starting every day at 1 a.m. PT/10:00 CET. Official website.
Players who meet any of the criteria below are eligible to play in the event:
Players rated at least 2550 in any of the 12 most recent FIDE rating lists (classical, rapid, or blitz)
Reigning national champions (classical, rapid, or blitz) representing their national federation
10 players invited by FIDE
15 players invited by the organizers
Format
Players compete in a 13-round Swiss.
The time control is 15+10
Players get 1 point for a win, 0.5 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss.
The player with the most points at the end of the tournament becomes the World Rapid Champion.
A playoff match determines the winner if there’s a tie for first place.
In case there’s a tie for any other place, the following tiebreaks apply in order:
Buchholz cut 1
Buchholz
AROC cut 1
Direct encounter
Drawing of Lots
Prizes
The prize fund for this event is $350,000, distributed as follows:
1st: $60,000
2nd: $50,000
3rd: $40,000
4th: $30,000
5th: $25,000
6th: $22,000
7th: $18,000
8th: $14,000
9th: $11,000
10th: $8,000
11th-16th: $5,000
17th-25th: $3,000
26th-35th: $1,500
Previous Champions
2012: Sergey Karjakin
2013: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
2014: Magnus Carlsen
2015: Magnus Carlsen
2016: Vasyl Ivanchuk
2017: Viswanathan Anand
2018: Daniil Dubov
2019: Magnus Carlsen
2021: Nodirbek Abdusattorov
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