Fedoseev triumphs with three rounds to spare
Vladimir Fedoseev dominated the 2025 Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland tournament, securing overall victory with three rounds still to play. Finishing with an impressive 26½ points, the Slovenian representative achieved one of the highest final scores ever recorded in a Grand Chess Tour rapid and blitz event - only Magnus Carlsen (in Kolkata 2019) and Fabiano Caruana (in Zagreb 2024) achieved a higher score of 27 points.
Fedoseev's remarkable performance left him five points clear of his closest rival, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, while Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu claimed third place after a decisive final-round victory with black against Levon Aronian.
Entering the final day with a commanding 3½-point lead, the main question was whether Fedoseev could maintain his advantage. He answered swiftly by continuing his excellent form from Tuesday. In the first round of the day, he managed to turn around a losing position to defeat Vachier-Lagrave.
The course is designed to provide a deep yet practical repertoire for Black, balancing solid foundations with aggressive counterplay.
The Classical Sicilian has stood the test of time as one of the most principled and fighting defences against 1.e4. With its rich history spanning world championship matches and modern elite tournaments, this opening remains a favourite among players who seek a dynamic, counterattacking approach without venturing into extreme theoretical battles like the Najdorf or Sveshnikov.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: 6.h3
Fedoseev followed this with a win over Aravindh Chithambaram before suffering his only defeat of the event, against local favourite Jan-Krzysztof Duda. The setback was short-lived, as he bounced back with victories against Veselin Topalov and Praggnanandhaa, and closed out his campaign with a final win over Alireza Firouzja.
Across 27 games of rapid and blitz chess combined, Fedoseev lost just once - an extraordinary feat in fast time controls at the elite level. As a wildcard participant, he is not scheduled to take part in the remaining Grand Chess Tour events this year, but his performance in Warsaw will be remembered as one of the finest in the tour's ten-year history.
Vladimir Fedoseev in action | Photo: Lennart Ootes
With Fedoseev so far ahead, the battle for second place became the main focus during the final day. After losing to Fedoseev in their head-to-head encounter, Vachier-Lagrave recovered with a strong performance, winning five consecutive games, drawing two and closing with another win, against Aravindh. His consistency ensured he secured clear second place.
Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa showed resilience to get the third position. After a difficult start to the day, losing four out of his first five games, the Indian star won his last four games, demonstrating the same streaky form that had characterised his blitz play on Tuesday.
The next event in the 2025 Grand Chess Tour calendar is the Superbet Chess Classic Romania, the first classical tournament of the series, which begins in just one week's time.
Final standings
WC = Wildcard
Most players prefer to attack rather than defend. But what is the correct way to do it? GM Dr Karsten Müller has compiled many rules and motifs to guide you, along with sharpening your intuition for the exceptions.
|
Player |
Rapid |
Blitz |
Total |
Tour Points |
Prize money |
| 1 |
Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) |
11 |
15½ |
26½ |
WC |
$40,000 |
| 2 |
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) |
9 |
12½ |
21½ |
10 |
$30,000 |
| 3 |
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (IND) |
10 |
10½ |
20½ |
8 |
$25,000 |
| 4 |
Levon Aronian (USA) |
10 |
10 |
20 |
7 |
$20,000 |
| 5 |
Alireza Firouzja (FRA) |
11 |
7.5 |
18½ |
6 |
$15,000 |
| 6 |
Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU) |
8 |
10 |
18 |
WC |
$11,000 |
| =7 |
Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL) |
8 |
9 |
17 |
3½ |
$9,500 |
| =7 |
Aravindh Chithambaram (IND) |
11 |
6 |
17 |
WC |
$9,500 |
| 9 |
David Gavrilescu (ROU) |
7 |
4 |
11 |
WC |
$8,000 |
| 10 |
Veselin Topalov (BUL) |
5 |
5 |
10 |
WC |
$7,000 |
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | Photo: Lennart Ootes
In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Final standings - Blitz
All games - Blitz
Final standings - Rapid (win = 2 pts; draw = 1 pt)
All games - Rapid
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