Magnus Carlsen extended his dominance in chess by winning the blitz world championship title for the ninth time on Tuesday, two days after claiming the rapid title. The world number one defeated Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov 2½-1½ in the final in Doha, securing his fifth rapid and blitz double, having previouslyachieved the feat in 2014, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Carlsen, who relinquished his regular world chess champion title citing a lack of motivation after winning it in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021, recovered from a stuttering start in the 19 opening games to reach the semi-finals. There he beat American Fabiano Caruana 3-1 before facing 21-year-old Abdusattorov in the best-of-four final.
The 35-year-old Norwegian lost the first game of the final but struck back in the second. After a draw in the third, he kept his cool in a time scramble in the fourth to prevail in the endgame. Carlsen also won the Freestyle Chess grand slam title this year.
In the women's event, Uzbekistan's Bibisara Assaubayeva beat Ukrainian Anna Muzychuk 2½-1½ in the final to take the title.
