India’s Team MGD1 Clinches 2025 FIDE World Rapid Team Championship in London.
Sports
At the FIDE World Rapid Team Championship 2025, held in London from June 11–13, Team MGD1 (Team MGD1 is a chess team) from India made history by becoming the first Indian side to win the Rapid Team title. Outperforming 52 international teams across a demanding 12-round Swiss format, they secured top honours with 21 match points out of a possible 24.
- Competing in a field of over 50 teams from around the world, Team MGD1 won 10 matches, drew 1, and lost only 1, finishing with a commanding 21 match points. Consistency and resilience defined their performance.
- On the climactic final day, Team MGD1 delivered a perfect performance—winning all 4 matches—to edge past rivals like Hexamind Chess Team, who gathered 20 match points.
- The team featured top Indian grandmasters such as Arjun Erigaisi, Pentala Harikrishna, Leon Luke Mendonca, Pranav Venkatesh, along with amateur board player Atharvaa P Tayade, whose remarkable 11/12 score greatly bolstered the team effort.
Main Point :- (i) Their victory was sealed with a tight 3.5–2.5 win over UK-based Malcolm’s Mates in the final round, underscoring their nerves and strategy under high-stakes pressure.
(ii) No Indian-sponsored team had previously won the FIDE World Rapid Team Championship. Team MGD1 joins elite status alongside international teams, enhancing India’s global chess credentials.
(iii) This edition was part of the wider FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championships, held from June 10–16 at Novotel London West. The tournament featured top global talent, including both grandmasters and amateurs, with a total prize pool of €310,000 for Rapid events.
About FIDE
President: Arkady Dvorkovich
Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
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