Top Ten Elite Women of Chess Converge in Doha for the Rapid and Blitz World Crown

The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025 in Doha, Qatar, is not merely a year-end tournament; it is the ultimate proving ground for psychological resilience under extreme time pressure. With a substantial prize fund allocated specifically to the women’s events, the stakes are profoundly high. This event reflects the sustained global push by FIDE to elevate women’s chess, ensuring that elite competitors, many of whom are now also successful streamers and public figures, have an accessible and lucrative platform.

As the chess world tracks FIDE’s progress—from the `Year of the Woman in Chess` initiatives to offering support for players with small children at the Olympiad—the focus remains laser-sharp on the chessboard. The ten women profiled below represent the current pinnacle of the game, bringing varied styles—from rock-solid classical technique to pure blitz genius—into the unforgiving arena of fast time controls.

The Reigning Benchmark and the Candidates Elite

1. Ju Wenjun: The Unflappable Universal Champion

Top seed Ju Wenjun (Rapid Rating: 2530) arrives in Doha having cemented her status as the gold standard in women’s chess. Her recent defense of the Women’s World Championship title, combined with a victory in the 2024 Women`s World Blitz Championship, confirms a rare achievement: she is not just a classical specialist. Ju maintains calm and clinical precision across all time controls, a psychological advantage that often demoralizes opponents in rapid settings. She is the natural favorite, demanding technical perfection from anyone hoping to unseat her.

2. Tan Zhongyi: The Determined Rival

Former Women’s World Champion Tan Zhongyi (Rapid Rating: 2507) has proven her ability to thrive in high-stakes competition, winning the 2024 Women’s Candidates Tournament decisively. While her recent classical title match against Ju was a tough contest, Tan’s strength lies in her relentless, practical approach. She is known for her tenacity, defending difficult positions for hours. In rapid and blitz, this ability to hold a draw or outlast a sharp attack is often more valuable than risky tactical endeavors.

3. Aleksandra Goryachkina: Positional Excellence Personified

Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rapid Rating: 2505), a formidable player often competing in Open sections, has enjoyed a remarkable run in rapid tournaments, notably dominating the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid women’s event. Goryachkina’s game is built on a deep, almost surgical positional understanding and masterful endgame technique. She prefers to allow the board to speak for her, quietly accumulating small advantages until the position collapses. Her recent overall success in the Women’s Grand Prix underscores her consistency at the elite level.

The Speed Specialists: Blitz Queens and Veterans

4. Bibisara Assaubayeva: The Blitz Prodigy

Bibisara Assaubayeva (Rapid Rating: 2461) enters Doha with a history of dominance in the fastest format, holding two previous Women’s World Blitz titles. What makes her current entry fascinating is her recent acquisition of the Grandmaster title and a classical rating exceeding 2500. The former `blitz queen` has legitimized her prowess across all time controls. Her style—fast, sharp, and aggressively instinctive—is perfectly suited for the demands of the short tournament format, promising dynamic and explosive games.

5. Kateryna Lagno: The Timeless Tactical Expert

Kateryna Lagno (Rapid Rating: 2452) is a veteran of speed chess, possessing a Women`s World Rapid title from 2014 and three Blitz crowns. Her consistency over a decade is a testament to her versatile, deep opening preparation and intuitive grasp of complex tactical warfare. Lagno’s ability to recall detailed lines and execute swift tactical shots under pressure makes her a perennial threat in fast chess—a true barometer for the younger generation.

6. Alexandra Kosteniuk: The Attacking Veteran

Former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk (Rapid Rating: 2450) brings immense experience and a commitment to initiative-based play. Having won the Women`s World Rapid Championship in 2021, she demonstrates that her attacking instincts remain sharp, even as the clock ticks down. Kosteniuk actively seeks out sharp, complex lines, unafraid to sacrifice material for momentum. She is a known spoiler in high-level events, thriving on the unexpected.

The Resilient and The Rising Stars

7. Humpy Koneru: The Solid Rapid Defender

Humpy Koneru (Rapid Rating: 2448) enters Doha as the reigning Women`s World Rapid Champion, having secured the title for the second time in 2024. Her strength lies in her classical foundation: solid openings, refusal to over-press, and confident, technically sound endgame play. She is the ultimate grinder in rapid chess. Koneru’s recent run to the final of the Women`s World Cup, navigating grueling tiebreaks, confirms her status as one of the game`s most psychologically hardened competitors.

8. Lei Tingjie: The Concrete Modernist

Lei Tingjie (Rapid Rating: 2496) has been consistently near the summit since her narrow 2023 World Championship match defeat. Lei plays modern, concrete chess, making her exceptionally dangerous in open, tactical positions where sharp calculation is paramount. Her silver medal in the 2024 Women’s World Blitz Championship, losing only in a dramatic sudden-death tiebreak to Ju Wenjun, highlights her elite capability in high-speed, high-pressure environments.

9. Zhu Jiner: The Consistent Grand Prix Winner

Zhu Jiner (Rapid Rating: 2435) has rapidly transitioned from a promising junior to an established top contender, securing overall victory in the 2024–25 Women`s Grand Prix. Zhu’s style is calm and practical, relying on deep opening preparation and disciplined control. Her ability to force a critical comeback win in the World Cup demonstrated that while she prefers control, she is not afraid to sharpen the battle when circumstances demand it. She represents the next wave of strategic dominance.

10. Harika Dronavalli: The Tiebreak Specialist

Harika Dronavalli (Rapid Rating: 2435), one of India’s most decorated players, played a leading role in her nation’s 45th Chess Olympiad victory. She consistently performs well in high-density tournaments, sharing the lead with champions like Ju Wenjun in the previous Rapid World Championship. Dronavalli is particularly known for her clutch performance in tiebreaks—a necessary skill in Doha’s knockout format—suggesting a cool head when time is scarce and nerves are frayed.