SAMARKAND /Uzbekistan/, December 28. /TASS/. Norwegian Chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen won the 2023 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Uzbekistan’s second-largest city, Samarkand, in the rapid competition on Thursday.

Carlsen secured 10 points following 13 tournaments this year and he was followed by Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev with 9.5 points and China’s Yu Yangyi in the 3rd place with nine points.

"The World No. 1 successfully defended his title and claimed his fifth World Rapid Championship trophy, scoring an impressive 10/13," the official website of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) said in a statement.

"Vladimir Fedoseev finished a half-point behind the champion and took silver," the statement continued. "As many as twelve players tied for third place, netting 9/13, with Yu Yangyi of China completing the podium thanks to better tiebreaks."

Speaking to FIDE’s press office after his win on Thursday, Carlsen said: "I am quite happy! Sometimes, my play was a little bit too safe and a little bit too technical, but I don't think I was really in serious trouble in any game, so it feels really good!"

The 2023 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship is hosted by Uzbekistan’s second-largest city, Samarkand, on December 26-30 and offers $1 million in prize money.

Russian sport of chess under sanctions

On February 28, 2022 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments because of the special military operation in Ukraine.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February last year, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

On March 16, 2022 the FIDE barred athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in international tournaments. The organization, however, allowed representatives of these countries to play individually under the flag and logo of FIDE.