After announcing the initial schedule for the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, set from Dec 26-31, FIDE faced strong backlash for forcing players to stay an additional day in pricey New York, with the final rounds played on New Year’s Eve.
In response, FIDE made hasty changes, splitting the Blitz Chess Championship into a Swiss stage and an 8-player knockout.
Instead of the original 21-round Swiss format over two days, the event will now feature a 13-round Swiss for the Open section and an 11-round Swiss for the Women’s section on day 1, followed by an 8-player knockout on day 2.
However, this adjustment creates uncertainty for players, who are still left to book extra days without knowing if theyโll qualify.
The venue remains undisclosed, and no ticketing or official invitations have been released, adding to growing frustration. FIDEโs handling of these logistics has drawn widespread criticism for lack of foresight and clear communication.
