World Team Rapid 2026 Day 1: Kazchess and Dragon Chilling lead a day of Wild Upsets
18/06/2026 - The FIDE World Team Rapid Chess Championship 2026 opened with thrilling action and major upsets at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong. Out of all the competing powerhouses, only Kazchess and Dragon Chilling survived Day 1 undefeated, leading the pack with a perfect 8/8 match points after four intense rounds. Viswanathan Anand had a grueling test of resilience, narrowly escaping a completely lost position against prodigy Ilamparthi to salvage a vital draw after his team. Photos: Michal Walusza/FIDE