View source for Fast chess

{{Short description|Chess variant with little move time allowed}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
[[File:Union Square chess with spectators.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|right|Spectators watch as street chess player "Russian Paul"<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/k3eEwYI6awM Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20210707170532/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3eEwYI6awM Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3eEwYI6awM| title = I Finally Beat "Russian Paul," The Strongest Chess Hustler in NYC | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> (left) plays bullet chess with [[Jonathan Corbblah]] in [[Union Square, Manhattan]].]]

'''Fast chess''', also known as '''speed chess''', is a type of [[chess]] in which each player is allowed significantly less time than classical chess [[time control]]s allow. Fast chess is subdivided, by decreasing time controls, into '''rapid chess''', '''blitz chess''', and '''bullet chess'''. '''Armageddon chess''' is a [[chess variant|variant]] of fast chess with [[Glossary of chess#Draw odds|draw odds]] for black and unequal time controls, used as a tiebreaker of last resort.<ref name="chesscom-armageddon">{{cite web |website=Chess.com |url=https://www.chess.com/terms/armageddon-chess |title=Chess Terms: Armageddon }}</ref>

As of January 2025, the top-ranked rapid chess player and the top-ranked blitz chess player in the open section is [[Magnus Carlsen]] from [[Norway]], who is also the top-ranked classical chess player. The reigning [[World Rapid Chess Championship|World Rapid Chess Champion]] is [[Volodar Murzin]] of [[Russia]]. The reigning [[World Blitz Chess Championship|World Blitz Chess Champions]] are Magnus Carlsen and [[Ian Nepomniachtchi]] of Russia (who shared victory in [[World Blitz Chess Championship 2024|2024]]).

As of January 2025, [[Ju Wenjun]] of China is the women's top-ranked rapid player, who is also the reigning Women's World Chess Champion in classical chess and the reigning Women's World Blitz Chess Champion. The women's top-ranked blitz player and also the top-ranked classical chess player is [[Hou Yifan]], also from China. The reigning Women's World Rapid Chess Champion is [[Koneru Humpy]] of [[India]].

== FIDE rules ==
The [[World Chess Federation]] (FIDE) divides time controls for chess into "classical" [[time control]]s, and the fast chess time controls. {{As of|2014|7}}, for master-level players (with an [[Elo rating system|Elo]] of 2400 or higher) the regulations state that at least 120 minutes per player (based on a 60-move game) must be allocated for a game to be rated on the "classical" list;<ref name="fide-classical">{{cite web |title=FIDE Rating Regulations effective from 1 January 2022 |url=https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B022022 |publisher=FIDE |quote=''For a game to be rated each player must at the start of the tournament have the following minimum periods in which to complete all the moves, assuming the game lasts 60 moves. Where at least one of the players in the game has a rating of 2400 or higher, each player must have a minimum of 120 minutes. Where at least one of the players in the game has a rating 1800 or higher, each player must have a minimum of 90 minutes. Where both of the players in the game are rated below 1800, each player must have a minimum of 60 minutes.''}}</ref> for lower-rated players, this can be reduced to as little as 60 minutes.<ref name="fide-classical"/> Games played faster than these time controls are rated for rapid and blitz if they comply with the time controls for those categories.<ref name="fidehandbook">{{cite web |title=FIDE Handbook – E.I. Laws of Chess – For competitions starting on or after 1 January 2023 – Appendices |url=http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=171&view=article |access-date=2014-07-27 |publisher=[[FIDE|World Chess Federation]] |quote=''A.1 A ‘Rapid chess’ game is one where either all the moves must be completed in a fixed time of more than 10 minutes but less than 60 minutes for each player; or the time allotted plus 60 times any increment is of more than 10 minutes but less than 60 minutes for each player.'' ... ''B.1 A ‘blitz’ game is one where all the moves must be completed in a fixed time of 10 minutes or less for each player; or the allotted time plus 60 times any increment is 10 minutes or less for each player.''}}</ref>

Players of fast and blitz chess are exempt from the requirement to record their moves onto a scoresheet (A.2). The arbiter or their assistant is responsible for the recording in competitions (A.3.1.2, B.3.1.2). Electronic recording is preferred.<ref>{{cite web |title=FIDE Laws of Chess taking effect from 1 January 2018 |url=https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012018}}</ref>

== Overview ==
A fast chess game can be further divided into several categories, which are primarily distinguished by the selection of time controls. Games may be played with or without [[Fischer delay|time increments]] per move.

{{anchor|Rapid|Rapid chess|Rapid play}}

{{Anchor|Rapid, rapid play or quick}}

=== Rapid (FIDE), quick (USCF), or active===
Time controls for each player in a game of rapid chess are, according to [[FIDE]], more than 10 minutes but less than 60 minutes.<ref name="fidehandbook"/> Rapid chess can be played with or without time increments for each move. When time increments are used, a player can automatically gain, for instance, ten more seconds on the clock after each move. Rapid chess was called ''active chess'' by FIDE between 1987 and 1989.<ref name="Rapid Chess"/>

For the FIDE World Rapid Championship, each player has 15 minutes plus 10 seconds additional time per move starting from move 1.<ref name="fidefast"/>

=== Blitz ===
Time controls for each player in a game of blitz chess are, according to [[FIDE]], 10 minutes or less per player.<ref name="fidehandbook"/> This can be played with or without an increment or delay per move, made possible by the adoption of digital clocks. Three minutes with a two-second increment is preferred. In the case of time increments, the total time per player for a 60-move game must be 10 minutes or less (hence averaging 10 seconds or less per move).<ref name="fidehandbook"/>

For the FIDE World Blitz Championship, each player has 3 minutes plus 2 additional seconds per move, starting from move 1.<ref name="fidefast">{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/WorldRapidBlitzChampionshipsRegulations.pdf | title=Regulations for the FIDE World Blitz Championship 2015 & FIDE World Rapid Championship 2015 | publisher=FIDE | date=2015 | access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref>

=== Bullet ===
Bullet chess games have less than three minutes per player, based on a 40-move game;<ref name="bullet">{{cite web | url=https://www.chessclub.com/user/help/bullet | title=ICC Help: bullet | publisher=ICC | access-date=6 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="chess.com">{{cite web | url=https://support.chess.com/customer/portal/articles/1444851-why-are-there-three-different-ratings-in-live-chess- | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818214410/https://support.chess.com/customer/portal/articles/1444851-why-are-there-three-different-ratings-in-live-chess- | url-status=dead | archive-date=18 August 2018 | title=Why are there three different ratings in Live Chess? | publisher=chess.com | access-date=6 October 2016}}</ref> some chess servers rate one-minute-per-player games separately.<ref name="one-minute">{{cite web | url=https://www.chessclub.com/user/help/one-minute | title=ICC Help: one-minute | publisher=ICC | access-date=6 October 2016}}</ref> Lower time controls are called "hyperbullet" and "ultrabullet" for 30-second-per-player and 15-second-per-player games, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barden |first1=Leonard |title=Chess: Magnus Carlsen showcases his bullet skills with 11 straight wins |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/nov/06/chess-magnus-carlsen-showboats-his-bullet-skills-with-11-straight-wins |website=The Guardian |access-date=15 February 2021 |date=6 November 2020}}</ref><ref>[[Lichess]] terminology with periodic tournaments.</ref> Other common time-control options for bullet games include two minutes with one-second increment, one minute with a two-second increment, or one minute with one-second increment. The term ''lightning'' can also be applied to this variant.<ref>American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.</ref> The use of increment in bullet chess is primarily to avoid issues with [[Latency (engineering)|latency]], as well as to discourage playing from a lost position in order to win on time (also known as "dirty flagging").

Online bullet chess avoids practical problems associated with live bullet chess, particularly players accidentally knocking over the pieces. Playing online also allows [[Premove|premoving]], or committing to a move before the opponent has taken their turn, which allows for more moves to be played in online than in live games.<ref>{{cite web |title=What are premoves and how do they work? |url=https://support.chess.com/article/642-what-are-premoves-and-how-do-they-work |website=Chess.com Member Support and FAQs}}</ref>

=== Armageddon ===
A variant of blitz chess where a [[draw (chess)|drawn]] game is counted as a win for Black. This guarantees the game ends decisively, so it can be used as a final tiebreaker game. It was used in tournaments such as the [[Chess World Cup]] as a tiebreaker.<ref name="armageddon_worldcup">{{cite web | url=http://www.chess.com/news/world-cup-nakamura-wins-armageddon-nepomniachtchi-appeals-4173 | title=World Cup: Nakamura Wins Armageddon, Nepomniachtchi Appeal Rejected | publisher=chess.com | date=19 September 2015 | access-date=18 January 2016 | author=PeterDoggers}}</ref>

To compensate for giving Black draw odds, White has more time on the clock. Common times are six minutes for White and five minutes for Black or five minutes for White and four minutes for Black. This can also be played with a small increment.<ref name="about_armageddon">{{cite web | url=http://chess.about.com/od/chessvariants/a/Armageddon-Tiebreakers.htm | title=Armageddon Tiebreakers | publisher=about.com | access-date=18 January 2016 | archive-date=5 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305132041/http://chess.about.com/od/chessvariants/a/Armageddon-Tiebreakers.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref> If there is no increment, then difficult questions arise when players must try to flag in trivial draws,<ref name=Kaufman207>Kaufman 2021, pp. 207–210</ref> which happened in the [[Women's World Chess Championship 2008]] in the match between [[Monika Soćko]] and [[Sabina-Francesca Foisor]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Drama at World Women Chess Championship round 1 tiebreaks|url=http://reports.chessdom.com/wwcc-2008/world-women-championship-live-day-3|publisher=Chessdom|date=31 August 2008|access-date=2008-08-31|archive-date=21 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021080208/http://reports.chessdom.com/wwcc-2008/world-women-championship-live-day-3|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Appeal's Committee Ruling|url=http://nalchik2008.fide.com/news/?lang=eng&a=2&id=38|date=31 August 2008|access-date=2008-09-07|publisher=Official website of the Championship|archive-date=11 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711002353/http://nalchik2008.fide.com/news/?lang=eng&a=2&id=38|url-status=dead}}</ref> With a small increment, the time odds need to be larger to keep the situation balanced: Norway Chess has used 10 minutes to 7 minutes.<ref name=Kaufman30>Larry Kaufman, ''Chess Board Options'' (2021), chapter 30</ref>

Some tournaments utilise a bidding system for individual players of each match to decide how little time they would be willing to play with as black. The player with the lower bid for each match receives the black pieces with draw odds. This system minimises the perceived unfairness of Armageddon time controls that are decided in advance before a tournament with colours randomly allocated.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McClain |first1=Dylan |title=New Way to Crown Winners in Games That End in Ties |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/nyregion/30chess.html |publisher=The New York Times | date=31 May 2010 |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=NM_Vanessa |title=Nepomniachtchi Wins On Demand In Epic Armageddon Clash, Advances To Grand Final |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2022-rapid-chess-championship-finals-day-3 |website=Chess.com |access-date=11 December 2022 |date=21 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Chess.com Global Championship 2022: All The Information |url=https://www.chess.com/article/view/chesscom-global-championship-2022 |publisher=Chess.com |access-date=11 December 2022 |date=8 November 2022}}</ref> Such an idea is reminiscent of the logical use case of [[fair cake-cutting]].

Armageddon chess does not scale well to slower time controls, as even in rapid the necessary time odds would need to be too large; in correspondence events or engine vs. engine events, it is simply unworkable. [[Larry Kaufman]], [[Kai Laskos]], and [[Stephen Pohl]] have tested using engines ([[Stockfish (chess)|Stockfish]], [[Komodo (chess)|Komodo]], and [[Houdini (chess)|Houdini]]) an alternative solution, allowing for equal times: Black has draw odds, but is not allowed to castle short. Engine tests suggest that this is fair, although it has yet to be tried in practice by human grandmasters.<ref name=Kaufman30/>

== History and rules ==
Before the advent of digital clocks, five minutes per side was the standard for blitz or speed chess. Before the introduction of chess clocks, chess club "rapid transit" tournaments had referees who called out every ten seconds.{{clarify|reason=What did they call out? Need something clearer from the source.|date=July 2022}} The Washington Divan (2445 15th St. NW) had regular weekly games and used a special clock that beeped every ten seconds to indicate the time to move. Players had to use their full ten seconds and move on the bell.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

In 1988, [[Walter Browne]] formed the World Blitz Chess Association and its magazine ''Blitz Chess'', which folded in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|author=The Web Novice |url=http://www.chessdryad.com/articles/mi/article_174.htm |title=Mechanics Institute newsletter #166 |publisher=Chessdryad.com |access-date=2011-12-18}}</ref>

In some chess tournaments and matches, the final standings of the contestants are decided by a series of games with ever-shortening control times as tie breaks. In this case, two games may be played with each time control, as playing with black or white pieces is not equally liked among players. The short time controls in fast chess reduce the amount of time available to consider each move, and may result in a frantic game, especially as time runs out. A player whose time runs out automatically loses, unless the opposing player has insufficient material to [[checkmate]], in which case the game is a draw. "Losing on time" is possible at even the longer, traditional time controls, but is more common in blitz and rapid versions.

Play is governed by the [[FIDE]] Laws of Chess, except as modified by a specific tournament. However, in case of a dispute during a tournament, either player may stop the clock and call the [[International Arbiter|arbiter]] to make a final and binding judgment.

[[Chess boxing]] uses a fast version for the chess component of the sport, granting 9 minutes for each side with no increment.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Linville (raync910) |first1=Ray |title=Are You Ready For Chess Boxing? |url=https://www.chess.com/blog/raync910/are-you-ready-for-chess-boxing |website=Chess.com}}</ref>

=== USCF rules for Quick and Blitz chess ===
The rules for fast chess differ between [[FIDE]] and the [[United States Chess Federation|USCF]].

With the USCF, a game with more than 10 minutes affects the Quick rating, and the upper bounds for this rating is capped at 65 minutes per player.<ref name="uscf-rbc"/> As 30-minute to 65-minute-per-player time controls are also under the Regular rating system, these games affect both the Quick and Regular ratings<ref name="uscf-rbc"/> and are known as ''dual-rated'' games. However, the [[Elo rating system#The K-factor used by the USCF|K factor]] (a statistic used for ratings) is reduced by comparison, meaning that players will either lose or gain (or rarely both) fewer rating points compared to a solely Quick or Regular game. Any time control over 65 minutes counts under the Regular rating only.<ref name="uscf-rbc"/> All of these time controls include the delay added to the time control, such as a 60-minute game with a 5-second delay, which is still considered to be a 60-minute game, not a 65-minute game.

As of March 2013, the USCF has also added a separate Blitz class rating for any time control between 5 and 10 minutes per player.<ref name="uscf-rbc">{{cite web | url=http://www.uschess.org/docs/gov/reports/RulebookChanges.pdf | title=Rulebook Changes | publisher=USCF | date=2016 | access-date=2 October 2016 | quote = There are three separate rating systems. A player’s Blitz rating is calculated if he or she participates in events with total playing times of G/5 – G/10. A player′s – Quick rating is calculated if he or she participates in events with a total playing time greater than 10 minutes and less than 30 minutes. A player’s Regular rating is computed if he or she enters a tournament with the total playing time of G/30 or slower. Games with total playing times of G/30 – G/65 are used to calculate both Regular and Quick ratings at the same time.}}</ref> It is not possible for a game to be dual rated as both Blitz and Quick. Unlike Quick chess, 5 minutes can also mean game 3+2 (three minutes with a [[Fischer delay|two-second increment]]).

== World championships ==

{{Main|World Rapid Chess Championship|World Blitz Chess Championship}}

Both official and unofficial FIDE-sponsored world championships for fast chess have been held since the 1970s.

=== World Rapid championships before 2012 ===
In 1987, [[Garry Kasparov]] (the World Champion of classical chess at the time) and [[Nigel Short]] played a 6-game exhibition Rapid match ("Speed Chess Challenge") at the London Hippodrome, won by Kasparov 4–2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/4th-april-1987/52/chess|title=Boxed Set|author=Keene, Raymond|date=3 April 1987|publisher=The Spectator}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ezgmjeEnw| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211118/o4ezgmjeEnw| archive-date=2021-11-18 | url-status=live|title=Kasparov vs Short – Speed Chess Challenge Pt.1|last=Arkham Noir|date=1 June 2011|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The 1988 victory by [[Anatoly Karpov]] in [[Mazatlan]] was officially called the ''World Active Championship'', but FIDE changed the word 'active' to 'rapid' soon after.<ref name="Rapid Chess">{{cite web |url=http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=8&title=Rapid-chess&id=63818 |title=Rapid Chess |publisher=Business World |date=2013-01-06 |access-date=2015-10-15 |archive-date=15 October 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20151015072322/http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=8&title=Rapid-chess&id=63818 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1992, FIDE held the Women's World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Budapest, Hungary. Both Rapid and Blitz Championships were won by [[Susan Polgar]].<ref name="auto"/>

The 2001 victory by Garry Kasparov in the FIDE World Cup of Rapid Chess (organized by the French Chess Federation in Cannes) was held contemporaneously to the [[Melody Amber]] rapids (thus splitting the top players between the two events),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/a1a2bgix.htm | author=Mark Weeks | title=World Chess Championship 2001–02 Braingames & Einstein}}</ref> and it is sometimes considered to be official, although it was never named as a "championship" but rather a "world cup".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-30-cl-44443-story.html | title=LA Times report on Cannes 2001 World Rapid Cup| website=[[Los Angeles Times]]| date=30 March 2001}}</ref>

[[Viswanathan Anand]] won the official FIDE 2003 Rapid Championship at the 6th Cap d'Agde event.<ref name="2003rapid"/> After no bids in 2004, FIDE optioned the 2005 Rapid to [[Cap d'Agde]], but it was not held.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=fidearchive&ny=2005 | title=FIDE Calendar 2005}}</ref> [[Teimour Radjabov]] won the 2006 ''7th Cap d’Agde Rapid Chess Tournament'', but this had no FIDE status.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://en.chessbase.com/post/teimour-radjabov-wins-cap-d-agde | title=ChessBase report on 2006 Cap d'Agde| date=3 November 2006}}</ref>

The yearly [[Frankfurt]] or [[Mainz]] events hosted by the ''Chess Tigers'' (2001–2010) were considered as the traditional rapid chess championship,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://gambit.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/20/anand-wins-rapid-championship-at-mainz-navara-wins-open/ | title=Anand Wins Rapid Championship at Mainz; Navara Wins Open| date=20 August 2007}}</ref> and it often received world championship billing in the absence of an annual FIDE-recognized championship.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.theweekinchess.com/chessnews/events/chess-classic-mainz-ends | title=Chess Classic Mainz Ends}}</ref> In its last two years, the 2009 ''Grenkeleasing World Rapid Chess Championship'' in Mainz was won by [[Levon Aronian]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chess.com/news/aronian-wins-rapid-world-championship-8519 | title=Chess.com report on Mainz 2009}}</ref> and the 2010 ''Open GRENKE Rapid World Championship'' in Mainz was won by [[Gata Kamsky]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theweekinchess.com/chessnews/events/17th-chess-classic-mainz-2010/gata-kamsky-wins-the-grenke-rapid-in-mainz-2010 | title=TWIC report on Mainz 2010}}</ref> The [[Association of Chess Professionals]] (ACP) also held a World Rapid Cup in some of these years, and the annual [[Amber chess tournament]] (1992 to 2011) also had a rapid segment. There was also occasionally a Eurotel Trophy or Intel Grand Prix event, each of which would be of high stature.

=== World Blitz championships before 2012 ===
The first unofficial ''Speed Chess Championship of the World'' (or World Blitz Championship) was held in [[Herceg Novi]] on 8 April 1970. This was shortly after the first [[Russia (USSR) vs Rest of the World|USSR versus the rest of the world]] match (in Belgrade), in which ten of these players also competed. Eleven [[Grandmaster (chess)|Grandmasters]] and one [[International Master]] played a double [[round-robin tournament]]. [[Bobby Fischer]] won first place, with a score of 19 points out of a possible 22. Fischer scored seventeen wins, four [[draw (chess)|draws]], and one loss (to [[Viktor Korchnoi]]). [[Mikhail Tal]] was a distant second, 4½ points behind.<ref>Brady, 1973, p. 164</ref> Fischer won both games against each of Tal, [[Tigran Petrosian]], and [[Vasily Smyslov]]; all of them were past [[World Chess Championship|World Champions]].

By 1971, the Russian and Moscow five-minute championships had been going several years, with Tal, [[David Bronstein|Bronstein]], and Petrosian all having success. That year, Fischer played in a blitz tournament organised by the [[Manhattan Chess Club]], and scored 21½/22.<ref>[[Barden, Leonard]], ''The value of blitz chess'', [[The Guardian]], 4 October 1971</ref> There were also strong tournaments in Bugojno (in 1978), which was won by Karpov; and Nikšić (in 1983), which was won by Kasparov.<ref name="web.archive.org">{{cite web|url=http://worldblitz2008.kz/about/championship_history |title=Blitz Championship History (archived) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224224849/http://worldblitz2008.kz/about/championship_history |archive-date=24 December 2008 }}</ref>

In 1987, the S.W.I.F.T. super-tournament was held in Brussels, Belgium; first prize was shared by [[Garry Kasparov]] and [[Ljubomir Ljubojević]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/18th-april-1987/44/chess |title=CHESS; 18 Apr 1987; The Spectator Archive |last=Keene |first=Raymond |date=1987-04-18 |website=The Spectator Archive |access-date=2018-01-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1015539 |title=1987 S.W.I.F.T. Brussels |access-date=2018-01-12}}</ref> The first FIDE-sponsored World Blitz Championship was won by [[Mikhail Tal]] in 1988.<ref name="web.archive.org"/>

In 1992, FIDE held the Women's World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Budapest, Hungary. Both Rapid and Blitz Championships were won by [[Susan Polgar]].<ref name="auto"/>

In 2000, Anand won the ''Plus GSM World Blitz Chess Cup,''<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2000/01/11/stories/07110208.htm | archive-url=https://archive.today/20160316080300/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2000/01/11/stories/07110208.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=2016-03-16 | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=The Hindu story about Anand winning the "Cup"}}</ref> which has since been referred to as a world championship,<ref name="Vishy2000">{{cite web | url=http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/presentation/25-anand | title=Organizer's vita of Anand at 2012 Champs | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127032925/http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/presentation/25-anand | archive-date=27 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/static/html/fl2420/stories/20071019508813200.htm | title=King Anand | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127032925/http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/presentation/25-anand | archive-date=27 November 2014}}</ref> albeit inconsistently.

The second FIDE-recognized World Blitz Championship was won by [[Alexander Grischuk]] in 2006 in [[Rishon Lezion]], Israel;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3334 |title=Grischuk wins FIDE World Blitz Championship |publisher=ChessBase.com |date=12 September 2006 |access-date=19 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="web.archive.org"/> the third World Blitz Championship was won by [[Vassily Ivanchuk]] in 2007.<ref name="web.archive.org"/> The 4th World Blitz Championship was held in Almaty in 2008, and it was won by [[Leinier Domínguez|Leinier Dominguez Pérez]] of Cuba.<ref name="2008blitz2">{{cite web | url=http://en.chessbase.com/post/dominguez-perez-wins-world-blitz-championship-in-almaty | title=Dominguez-Perez wins World Blitz Championship in Almaty | publisher=chessbase.com | date=11 August 2008 | access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="web.archive.org"/>

In 2009 and 2010, there was an event called the ''World Blitz Championship'', held after the [[Tal Memorial]] in Moscow in November. It was won by [[Magnus Carlsen]] (in 2009)<ref name="2009blitz"/> and [[Levon Aronian]] (in 2010),<ref name="fide.com"/> with the Women's Championship being won by [[Kateryna Lagno]] (in 2010).<ref name="women2010blitz"/> There is no record of a 2009 blitz event in the FIDE Calendar for that year;<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=fidearchive&ny=2009 | title=2009 FIDE Calendar}}</ref> however, the October 2009 FIDE Congress discussed whether it should be a "proper" Championship (given the qualification scheme), and it left the decision to the corresponding internal Commission.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/fide/minutes/4228-80th-fide-congress-executive-board-minutes-and-annexes.html | title=80th FIDE Congress, Halkidiki (Oct 2009), Minutes 5.39 and Annex 33}}</ref> For 2010, it was organized in conjunction with FIDE from the beginning.<ref name="fide.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=archiveview&aid=705 | title=FIDE Archive: World Blitz Championships – Finals}}</ref> However, in neither case was an arbiter's report presented to the next FIDE Congress or General Assembly, as would be expected for a World Championship, and indeed occurred previously with the 2008 Blitz Championship.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2008/79th_fide_congress/annex_35_2008.pdf | title=Arbiter's Report, Annex 35 to 79th FIDE Congress (Dresden 2008)}}</ref> The 2012 Arbiter's report refers to ''7th World Blitz Championship'' thus seeming to imply that 2009 and 2010 events were indeed Championships;<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2012/Congress/Annex_48_-_Chief_Arbiters_and_Appeals_Committee_Chairman_reports_on_World_Rapid_and_Blitz_Championships_2012.pdf | title=Arbiter's Report, Annex 48 to the General Assembly (Istanbul 2012)}}</ref> although this report can be faulted for referring to the rapid championship of 2012 as being the ''1st World Rapid Championship'', which at the very least forgets Anand's official Rapid Championship in 2003. The balance of the evidence favors these Blitz Championships as being counted as official.

In 2011, there was no official blitz championship held, but FIDE was involved with the Sport Accord Mind Games blitz won by [[Maxime Vachier-Lagrave]], with [[Hou Yifan]] winning the women's division.<ref>{{cite web |url =http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/5792-sport-accord-mind-games-blitz-results.html |title =Sport Accord Mind Games: blitz results |access-date =15 October 2015 |archive-date =4 March 2016 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191357/http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/5792-sport-accord-mind-games-blitz-results.html |url-status =dead }}</ref>

=== World Championships since 2012 ===
[[File:15-10-10-Magnus Carlsen-RalfR-N3S 2391.jpg|thumb|right|[[Magnus Carlsen]] (left) playing GM [[Dennis Wagner (chess player)|Dennis Wagner]] (right)<ref name="youtube">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljri7ZHIkPw | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827183832/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljri7ZHIkPw| archive-date=2016-08-27 | url-status=dead| title=Magnus Carlsen vs Dennis Wagner, World Chess Rapid Championship 2015, Round 2 Full game | via=YouTube | access-date=15 June 2016}}</ref> at the 2015 FIDE World Chess Rapid and Blitz Championship in Berlin, at which Carlsen retained the title World Rapid Chess Champion]]
[[File:Blitzweltmeister Grischtschuk und die Nächstplatzierten Vachier-Lagrave (li.) und Kramnik in Berlin 2015.JPG|thumb|right|Blitz World Champion [[Alexander Grischuk]] (right) in Berlin, 2015, with runners-up [[Vladimir Kramnik]] (center) and [[Maxime Vachier-Lagrave]] (left)]]

Since 2012, FIDE have held joint World Rapid and Blitz Championships most years, with some years Women's World Rapid and Blitz Championships also being held.

In 2012, the World Rapid and Blitz Championships were held at Batumi, Georgia and Astana, Kazakhstan (Women's Championships)<ref name="fide-archive"/> [[Sergey Karjakin]] won the Rapid Championship.<ref name=worldrapid20101/> [[Alexander Grischuk]] won the Blitz Championship.<ref name="2012blitz"/> [[Antoaneta Stefanova]] won the Women's Rapid Championship.<ref name="auto1"/> [[Valentina Gunina]] won the Women's Blitz Championship.<ref name="auto1"/>

In 2013, the World Rapid and Blitz Championships were held at Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.<ref name="fide-archive"/> [[Shakhriyar Mamedyarov]] won the Rapid Championship.<ref name="2013rapid"/> [[Lê Quang Liêm]] won the Blitz Championship.<ref name="2013blitz"/>

In 2014, the World Rapid and Blitz Championships were held at Dubai, UAE and Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia (Women's Championships).<ref name="fide-archive">{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=fidearchive | title=FIDE Calendar Archive | publisher=FIDE | access-date=20 September 2016}}</ref> [[Magnus Carlsen]] won both Rapid and Blitz Championships.<ref name="2014blitz"/><ref name="2014rapid"/> [[Kateryna Lagno]] won the Women's Rapid Championship.<ref name="women2014rapid"/> [[Anna Muzychuk]] won the Women's Blitz Championship.<ref name="women2014blitz"/>

In 2015, the World Rapid and Blitz Championships were held in Berlin, Germany. Magnus Carlsen won the Rapid Championship.<ref name="2015rapid"/> He also received the privilege of playing at a dedicated Board 1 the whole time, not having to move while others did. The given reason was that Norwegian television was sponsoring the event, and moving the heavy cameras around would be too much hassle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chess.com/news/world-rapid-carlsen-on-top-but-with-a-surprising-name-5371|title=World Rapid: Carlsen on Top, But with a Surprising Name}}</ref> After his first-round draw, he should not have been on Board 1 until Round 8 when he caught the leaders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chess-results.com/tnr190460.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=7&wi=821|title=Chess-Results Server Chess-results.com – FIDE World Rapid Championship 2015|first=Herzog|last=Heinz|publisher=chess-results.com}}</ref> Carlsen himself later called this "weird" that Board 1 would be reserved for him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chess.com/news/more-top-seeds-cede-lead-in-qatar-round-2-7956|title=More Top Seeds Cede Lead in Qatar Round 2|publisher=chess.com}}</ref> [[Alexander Grischuk]] won the Blitz Championship.<ref name="2015blitz"/>

In 2015, FIDE did not receive the expected 80,000 euros from [[Agon Limited|Agon]]'s organization of the event, causing a budget shortfall of 55,000 euros.<ref>[https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9758-87th-fide-congress-general-assembly-agenda-and-annexes.html Annex 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802001619/http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9758-87th-fide-congress-general-assembly-agenda-and-annexes.html |date=2 August 2016 }} (Budget Item 1.8)</ref><ref>[https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9758-87th-fide-congress-general-assembly-agenda-and-annexes.html Annex 5] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802001619/http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9758-87th-fide-congress-general-assembly-agenda-and-annexes.html |date=2 August 2016 }} (Verification report), listing 80,000 euros</ref> It was later announced that approximately 200,000 euros were lost on the event.<ref>[https://www.chess.com/news/is-fide-going-bankrupt-3846 Is FIDE going bankrupt?] (Chess.com)</ref>

In 2016, the World Rapid Championships were held at the [[Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena]] in Doha, Qatar. [[Vassily Ivanchuk]] of Ukraine won the 2016 World Rapid Championship, while Carlsen, after defending his title with difficulty in 2015, came in third place. In the Blitz Championship, [[Sergey Karjakin]] of Russia and contender in the recently held [[World Chess Championship 2016]] won the championship title albeit due to a better tiebreak over the second place Carlsen. Karjakin defeated Carlsen in their individual encounter. Carlsen was once again reserved board 1 for both championships. [[Anna Muzychuk]] also from Ukraine, won both the 2016 Women World Rapid and Blitz Championshipship.

At the FIDE Presidential Board meeting at the end of March 2016, they gave Agon six months to find an organizer for the 2017 event.<ref>[https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2016/FIDE_News/GA_Agenda_2016/2016_General_Assembly_Agenda.pdf General Assembly Agenda] (Items 5.20.15, 5.20.16)</ref> At the Baku General Assembly in September, it was announced they had extended this deadline until the end of 2016.<ref name="fide2016GA">[https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2016/FIDE_News/GA_Agenda_2016/2016_General_Assembly_Minutes_Baku.pdf 2016 FIDE General Assembly Minutes] (Items 5.20.16, 9.1)</ref> The issue of the non-payment of the players for the IMSA Mind Games was also brought up.<ref name="fide2016GA" />
{{clear left}}

=== Champions tables for official events ===
{{see also|World Rapid Chess Championship|World Blitz Chess Championship}}
<!-- PLEASE NOTE: ONLY INCLUDE OFFICIAL FIDE SPONSORED EVENTS IN THESE TABLES. THANK YOU -->
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{|class="wikitable"
|+World Rapid chess champions
|-
! # || Name || Year || Country
|-
| 1 || [[Anatoly Karpov]] || 1988<ref name="Rapid Chess"/> || {{USSR}}
|-
| 2 || [[Garry Kasparov]] || 2001<ref>[http://en.chessbase.com/post/cap-d-agde-world-rapid-championship The title isn't exactly a historic one, Kasparov's in 2001 was the first. ]</ref> || {{RUS}}
|-
| 3 || [[Viswanathan Anand]] || 2003<ref name="2003rapid">{{cite web |url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/4-tournaments/2696-1187-anand-is-world-rapid-chess-champion.html |title=FIDE announcement that Anand is World Rapid Champion |access-date=14 October 2015 |archive-date=1 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101093356/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/4-tournaments/2696-1187-anand-is-world-rapid-chess-champion.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{flag|India}}
|-
| 4 || [[Sergey Karjakin]] || 2012<ref name=worldrapid20101>{{cite web |url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/6282-world-rapid-and-blitz-championships-2012-karjakin-wins.html |title=World Rapid Championship 2012, Karjakin wins |access-date=15 October 2015 |archive-date=1 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101093401/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/6282-world-rapid-and-blitz-championships-2012-karjakin-wins.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> ||{{flag|Russia}}
|-
| 5 || [[Shakhriyar Mamedyarov]] || 2013<ref name="2013rapid">{{cite web | url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7140-shakhriyar-mamedyarov-became-the-world-rapid-chess-champion.html | title=Shakhriyar Mamedyarov became the World Rapid Chess Champion | access-date=15 October 2015 | archive-date=1 January 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101093401/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7140-shakhriyar-mamedyarov-became-the-world-rapid-chess-champion.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> ||{{flag|Azerbaijan}}
|-
| 6 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2014<ref name="2014rapid">{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/8083-magnus-carlsen-wins-fide-world-rapid-championship.html | title=Magnus Carlsen wins FIDE World Rapid Championship! | access-date=15 October 2015 | archive-date=8 October 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008121428/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/8083-magnus-carlsen-wins-fide-world-rapid-championship.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{NOR}}
|-
| 7 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2015<ref name="2015rapid">{{cite web |url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9107-world-chess-rapid-and-blitz-championship-2015.html |title=Magnus Carlsen wins 2015 FIDE World Rapid Championship! |access-date=15 October 2015 |archive-date=1 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101093349/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9107-world-chess-rapid-and-blitz-championship-2015.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{NOR}}
|-
| 8 || [[Vasyl Ivanchuk]] || 2016<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.chessbase.com/post/vassily-ivanchuk-is-new-world-champion-in-rapid-chess | title=Vassily Ivanchuk is new World Champion in Rapid Chess| date=28 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="2016rapid">{{cite web |url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9975-fide-world-rapid-a-blitz-championships-winners-of-rapid.html |title=Double gold for Ukraine in FIDE World Rapid Championship |access-date=29 December 2016 |archive-date=1 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101093356/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9975-fide-world-rapid-a-blitz-championships-winners-of-rapid.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{UKR}}
|-
| 9 || [[Viswanathan Anand]] || 2017 || {{IND}}
|-
| 10 || [[Daniil Dubov]] || 2018<ref name="2018rapid"/> || {{RUS}}
|-
| 11 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2019 || {{NOR}}
|-
| 12 || [[Nodirbek Abdusattorov]] || 2021 ||{{UZB}} 
|-
| 13 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2022 || {{NOR}}
|-
| 14 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2023 || {{NOR}}
|-
| 15 || [[Volodar Murzin]] || 2024 || {{flagicon image|FIDE flag icon.png}} [[FIDE]]<ref name="FIDE">Murzin, Nepomniachtchi, Bodnaruk and Gunina are Russians, but they competed under [[FIDE]] flag due to the organization's ban of the Russian and Belarusian flags as part of its response to the 2022 [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].</ref>
|}
{{col-2}}

<!-- PLEASE NOTE: ONLY INCLUDE OFFICIAL FIDE SPONSORED EVENTS IN THESE TABLES. THANK YOU -->
{|class="wikitable"
|+Women's World Rapid chess champions
|-
! # || Name || Year || Country
|-
| 1 || [[Susan Polgar|Zsuzsa Polgár]] || 1992<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://chessdailynews.com/1992-womens-world-rapid-and-blitz-championship | title=1992 Women's World Rapid and Blitz Championship| date=23 June 2014}}</ref> || {{flag|Hungary}}
|-
| 2 || [[Antoaneta Stefanova]] || 2012<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=archiveview&aid=926 | title=FIDE Archive: Women's World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2012}}</ref> || {{flag|Bulgaria}}
|-
| 3 || [[Kateryna Lagno]] || 2014<ref name="women2014rapid">{{cite web |url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7917-kateryna-lagno-crowned-womens-world-rapid-champion.html |title=Kateryna Lagno crowned Women's World Rapid Champion |access-date=15 October 2015 |archive-date=23 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023024101/http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7917-kateryna-lagno-crowned-womens-world-rapid-champion.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{flag|Ukraine}}
|-
| 4 || [[Anna Muzychuk]] || 2016<ref name="women2016rapid">{{cite web|url=http://chess-results.com/tnr255542.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=12&turdet=YES&flag=30&wi=984 | title=FIDE "Women" World Rapid Ch. 2016 Final Ranking after 12 Rounds  }}</ref><ref name="2016rapid"/> || {{UKR}}
|-
| 5 || [[Ju Wenjun]] || 2017 || {{CHN}}
|-
| 6 || [[Ju Wenjun]] || 2018<ref name="2018rapid">{{cite web |last1=ChessBase staff |url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/rapid-world-championship-2018-st-petersburg-live |title=FIDE World Rapid Champions: Dubov and Ju |publisher=ChessBase |access-date=28 December 2018 |date=28 December 2018}}</ref> || {{CHN}}
|-
| 7 || [[Koneru Humpy]] || 2019 || {{IND}}
|-
| 8 ||  [[Alexandra Kosteniuk]] || 2021 || {{flagicon image|CFR Russia chess simplified flag infobox.svg}} [[Chess Federation of Russia|CFR]]<ref name="CFR1">Kosteniuk is Russian, but competed under the [[Chess Federation of Russia]] flag, due to [[World Anti-Doping Agency|WADA]] sanctions against Russia.</ref>
|-
| 9 || [[Tan Zhongyi]] || 2022 || {{CHN}}
|-
| 10 || [[Anastasia Bodnaruk]] || 2023 || {{flagicon image|FIDE flag icon.png}} [[FIDE]]<ref name="FIDE"/>
|-
| 11 || [[Koneru Humpy]] || 2024 || {{IND}}
|}
{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
<!-- PLEASE NOTE: ONLY INCLUDE OFFICIAL FIDE SPONSORED EVENTS IN THESE TABLES. THANK YOU -->
{| class="wikitable"
|+World Blitz chess champions
|-
! # || Name || Year || Country
|-
| 1 || [[Bobby Fischer]] || 1970<ref name="1970blitz">{{cite web | url=https://worldchess.com/2016/12/25/a-brief-history-of-fast-chess/ | title=A Brief History of Fast Chess | access-date=21 February 2017 | archive-date=3 January 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103172317/https://worldchess.com/2016/12/25/a-brief-history-of-fast-chess/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{USA}}
|-
| 2 || [[Mikhail Tal]] || 1988<ref name="1988blitz">{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/1ff9e812e7ddf3b78d47be70d0ec351e | title=World Champion Eliminated From Blitz Chess Tournament}}</ref> || {{USSR}}
|-
| 3 || [[Viswanathan Anand]] || 2000<ref name="Vishy2000" /> || {{IND}}
|-
| 4 || [[Alexander Grischuk]] || 2006<ref name="2006blitz">{{cite web|url=https://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=archiveview&aid=341 | title=FIDE Announcement of World Blitz Championship 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ruschess.com/Archive/view.php?id=602 | title=FIDE World Blitz Championship}}</ref> || {{RUS}}
|-
| 5 || [[Vasyl Ivanchuk]] || 2007<ref name="2007blitz">{{cite web|url=https://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=archiveview&aid=456 | title=FIDE announcement of World Blitz Chess Championship 2007}}</ref>|| {{UKR}}
|-
| 6 || [[Leinier Domínguez]] || 2008<ref name="2008blitz">{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/3493-dominquez-wins-world-blitz-championship.html | title=Dominquez wins World Blitz Championship! | access-date=15 October 2015 | archive-date=3 August 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803121740/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/3493-dominquez-wins-world-blitz-championship.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{CUB}}
|-
| 7 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2009<ref name="2009blitz">{{cite web | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-29-la-ca-chess29-2009nov29-story.html | title=Magnus Carlsen wins blitz championship| website=[[Los Angeles Times]]| date=29 November 2009}}</ref> || {{NOR}}
|-
| 8 || [[Levon Aronian]] || 2010<ref name="fide.com"/> || {{ARM}}
|-
| 9 || [[Alexander Grischuk]] || 2012<ref name="2012blitz">{{cite web|url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/6289-world-blitz-championship-2012-grischuk-wins.html|title=World Blitz Championship 2012, Grischuk wins|publisher=FIDE|date=2012-07-09|access-date=15 October 2015|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924012809/http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/6289-world-blitz-championship-2012-grischuk-wins.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> || {{RUS}}
|-
| 10 || [[Lê Quang Liêm]] || 2013<ref name="2013blitz">{{cite web | url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7145-le-quang-liem-is-the-world-blitz-chess-champion.html | title=Le Quang Liem is the World Blitz Chess Champion | access-date=15 October 2015 | archive-date=6 September 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906171337/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7145-le-quang-liem-is-the-world-blitz-chess-champion.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{VIE}}
|-
| 11 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2014<ref name="2014blitz">{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/8086-magnus-won-the-world-blitz-championship-2014.html | title=Magnus won the World Blitz Championship 2014 | access-date=15 October 2015 | archive-date=3 August 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803122502/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/8086-magnus-won-the-world-blitz-championship-2014.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{NOR}}
|-
| 12 || [[Alexander Grischuk]] || 2015<ref name="2015blitz">{{cite web |url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9116-grischuk-world-blitz-chess-championship-2015.html |title=Alexander Grischuk is a new World Blitz Champion |access-date=15 October 2015 |archive-date=3 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803112350/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9116-grischuk-world-blitz-chess-championship-2015.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{RUS}}
|-
| 13 || [[Sergey Karjakin]] || 2016<ref name="2016blitz">{{cite web|url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9975-the-winners-of-fide-world-rapid-a-blitz-championships.html|title=Karjakin wins FIDE World Blitz Championship, double gold for Anna Muzychuk|access-date=2 January 2017|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803123702/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/9975-the-winners-of-fide-world-rapid-a-blitz-championships.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> || {{RUS}}
|-
| 14 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2017 || {{NOR}}
|-
| 15 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2018<ref name="2018blitz">{{cite news |last1=ChessBase staff |title=FIDE World Blitz Champions: Carlsen and Lagno |newspaper=Chess News |url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/blitz-world-championship-2018-st-petersburg-live |publisher=ChessBase |access-date=30 December 2018 |date=30 December 2018}}</ref> || {{NOR}}
|-
| 16 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2019 || {{NOR}}
|-
| 17 || [[Maxime Vachier-Lagrave]]  || 2021 || {{FRA}}
|-
| 18 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2022 || {{NOR}}
|-
| 19 || [[Magnus Carlsen]] || 2023 || {{NOR}}
|-
| 20 || [[Magnus Carlsen]]<br>[[Ian Nepomniachtchi]] || 2024 || {{NOR}}<br>{{flagicon image|FIDE flag icon.png}} [[FIDE]]<ref name="FIDE"/>
|}
{{col-2}}
<!-- PLEASE NOTE: ONLY INCLUDE OFFICIAL FIDE SPONSORED EVENTS IN THESE TABLES. THANK YOU -->
{| class="wikitable"
|+Women's World Blitz chess champions
|-
! # || Name || Year || Country
|-
| 1 || [[Susan Polgar|Zsuzsa Polgár]] || 1992<ref name="auto"/> || {{HUN}}
|-
| 2 || [[Kateryna Lagno]] || 2010<ref name="women2010blitz">{{cite web |url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/4783-gm-kateryna-lahno-wins-the-womens-world-blitz-championship-2010.html |title=GM Kateryna Lahno wins the Women's World Blitz Championship 2010 |publisher=Fide.com |date=2010-09-18 |access-date=2013-12-08 |archive-date=25 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925175833/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/4783-gm-kateryna-lahno-wins-the-womens-world-blitz-championship-2010.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{UKR}}
|-
| 3 || [[Valentina Gunina]] || 2012<ref name="auto1"/> || {{RUS}}
|-
| 4 || [[Anna Muzychuk]] || 2014<ref name="women2014blitz">{{cite web | url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7932-anna-muzychuk-is-womens-world-blitz-champion.html | title=Anna Muzychuk is Women's World Blitz Champion | access-date=15 October 2015 | archive-date=3 August 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803124504/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7932-anna-muzychuk-is-womens-world-blitz-champion.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>|| {{SLO}}
|-
| 5 || [[Anna Muzychuk]] || 2016<ref name="2016blitz"/> || {{UKR}}
|-
| 6 || [[Nana Dzagnidze]] || 2017 || {{GEO}}
|-
| 7 || [[Kateryna Lagno]] || 2018<ref name="2018blitz"/> || {{RUS}}
|-
| 8 || [[Kateryna Lagno]] || 2019 || {{RUS}}
|-
| 9 || [[Bibisara Assaubayeva]] || 2021 || {{KAZ}}
|-
| 10 || [[Bibisara Assaubayeva]] || 2022 || {{KAZ}}
|-
| 11 || [[Valentina Gunina]] || 2023 || {{flagicon image|FIDE flag icon.png}} [[FIDE]]<ref name="FIDE"/>
|-
| 12 || [[Ju Wenjun]] || 2024 || {{CHN}}
|}
{{col-end}}

== Views on fast chess ==
Many top chess players disagree on the validity of fast chess compared to standard time controls as well as the usefulness of fast time controls for serious training.

Some quotes from top chess players may serve to illustrate this:

* "I don't know if bullet is useful but I think blitz is 100% useful. Blitz develops instincts."  —&thinsp;[[Magnus Carlsen]]<ref name="Carlsen on blitz 1">{{cite web |last1=Carlsen |first1=Magnus |author1-link=Magnus Carlsen  |title=Magnus THINKS Playing Blitz Chess is 100% USEFUL |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV90EVbGxv4&t=143 |website=youtube.com |publisher=[[Magnus Carlsen]] |language=en |format=video |date=April 21, 2023}}</ref>
* "Any coach that's trying to dissuade you from enjoying blitz is doing you a disservice." —&thinsp;Magnus Carlsen<ref name="Carlsen on blitz 2">{{cite web |last1=Carlsen |first1=Magnus |author1-link=Magnus Carlsen  |title=Magnus THINKS Playing Blitz Chess is 100% USEFUL |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV90EVbGxv4&t=246 |website=youtube.com |publisher=[[Magnus Carlsen]] |language=en |format=video |date=April 21, 2023}}</ref>
* "To be honest, I consider [bullet chess] a bit moronic, and therefore I never play it." —&thinsp;[[Vladimir Kramnik]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chessintranslation.com/2010/11/kramnik-on-nakamura-blitz-and-carlsen/ |title=Kramnik on Nakamura, blitz and Carlsen |publisher=Chess in Translation |date=2010-11-10 |access-date=2012-11-10}}</ref>
* "Blitz – it's just a pleasure." —&thinsp;Vladimir Kramnik<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chessintranslation.com/2009/11/kramnik-on-blitz/ |title=Kramnik on blitz |publisher=Chess in Translation |date=2009-11-16 |access-date=2012-11-10}}</ref>
* "Blitz is simply a waste of time." —&thinsp;[[Vladimir Malakhov (chess player)|Vladimir Malakhov]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chessintranslation.com/2010/09/vladimir-malakhov-chess-player-nuclear-physicist/ |title=Vladimir Malakhov: chess player, nuclear physicist |publisher=Chess in Translation |date=2010-09-05 |access-date=2014-09-10}}</ref>
* "Blitz is the opposite [of classical chess], you don't care at all. You can be drunk, you can dance all night, whatever happens you just need to be lucky and it will work." – [[Daniil Dubov]]<ref>{{Citation |title=Rapid, day 1. Interview with Daniil Dubov |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg4Ag3fsMzY |language=en |access-date=2022-03-09}}. Quote is at 0:52.</ref>
* "I play way too much blitz chess. It rots the brain just as surely as alcohol." —&thinsp;[[Nigel Short]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chess-news.ru/en/node/4716 |title=Nigel Short: 'I Understood That Kasparov Was Very Vulnerable' |publisher=chess-news.ru |date=1 November 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016121503/http://chess-news.ru/en/node/4716 |archive-date=16 October 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[World Rapid Chess Championship]]
* [[World Blitz Chess Championship]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== References ==
*{{Cite book
 |last=Brady|first=Frank|author-link=Frank Brady (writer)
 |year=1973
 |title=Bobby Fischer: Profile of a Prodigy
 |edition=2nd
 |publisher=Dover
 |isbn= 0-486-25925-0
 }}
* {{Cite book
 |last1=Plisetsky|first1=Dimitry
 |last2=Voronkov|first2=Sergey
 | title=Russians versus Fischer
 |year=2005
 |publisher=Everyman Chess
 |isbn=1-85744-380-2
 }}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book
 | author1=Harper, Bruce
 | author2=Nakamura, Hikaru
 | author2-link=Hikaru Nakamura
 | year=2009
 | title=Bullet Chess: One Minute to Mate
 | publisher=Russell Enterprises
 | isbn=978-1-888690-67-5}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.uschess.org/docs/gov/reports/BlitzRuleChanges.pdf USCF rules]
* [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/fast.html “Fast Chess” by Edward Winter]
* [http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=125&view=article FIDE rapid play and blitz rules]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180208200512/http://velocitychess.com/ Speed Chess Online Example]
* [http://ChessBullet.com/ Online Chess Clock / Chess Timer Example, used for Fast Chess]
* [http://livestream.com/ChessCast Videostream: World Blitz and Rapid Chess Championship 2015 in Berlin, Germany]
* [https://www.chess.com/article/view/a-history-of-blitz A History of Blitz]

{{chess}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Chess terminology]]
[[Category:Chess variants]]
[[Category:Fast chess| ]]