The Women’s section of the 2025 FIDE World Blitz Championship produced swift shifts in momentum on its opening day, culminating in the Netherlands’ Eline Roebers emerging as the sole leader after ten demanding rounds in Doha.
With 8.5 points from a possible 10, Roebers ended Day One in control of the standings, while the Indian contingent found itself facing a difficult climb with only five rounds remaining in the Swiss stage.
Much like the Open event, the Women’s Blitz saw its first clear frontrunner emerge after Round 6. Uzbekistan’s Umida Omonova delivered one of the standout runs of the day, defeating a string of highly rated opponents to briefly claim sole leadership. Her scalps included India’s Humpy Koneru, Armenia’s Elina Danielian, Russia’s Kateryna Lagno, and American youngster Carissa Yip a sequence that underlined both her preparation and her comfort in fast time controls.
Omonova’s momentum, however, was halted in Round 7 by Aleksandra Goryachkina. The former World Championship challenger seized the opportunity to move into first place and held the lead across the next three rounds. Even a loss with the black pieces to Roebers in Round 9 did not immediately dislodge Goryachkina from the top, as the tightly packed leaderboard continued to shift with every result on the top boards.
The decisive turn came in the final round of the day. On board one, Goryachkina, playing White, was held to a draw by former Women’s World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova. The result lifted both players to eight points but left the door open for a late surge elsewhere. On board two, Roebers made no mistake, outplaying Argentina’s Candela Francisco Guecamburu with the black pieces. That victory took the Dutchwoman to 8.5 points, giving her sole possession of first place at the end of Day One.
Behind Roebers, the chase group is tightly clustered. Goryachkina, Omonova, and Stefanova all sit on eight points, half a point off the lead and firmly in contention for the top-four cutoff that leads to the knockout stage. With five rounds still to be played in the Swiss phase, the margins remain narrow, but the pressure is now firmly on those outside the leading pack.
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One of the notable storylines of the day was the struggles of defending Women’s World Blitz Champion Ju Wenjun. The Chinese star finished the day on 5.5 points, just above the 50 per cent mark. Given the depth of the field and the limited number of remaining rounds, Ju’s chances of reaching the knockout stage appear slim, marking a rare off-day for one of the format’s most consistent performers.
For Indian women, Day One proved particularly challenging. None of the four Indian players managed to stay within touching distance of the top positions, leaving medal hopes hanging by a thread with only five rounds left. Divya Deshmukh was the highest-placed Indian after ten rounds, standing 35th with six points. Vaishali Rameshbabu and Harika Dronavalli followed closely, both on 5.5 points and placed 57th and 58th respectively. Humpy Koneru, one of India’s most decorated players and a former World Rapid champion, endured a difficult day and finished on five points, placed 62nd.
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The standings reflect not just individual results but the unforgiving nature of blitz chess at the elite level. With the Swiss stage limited to 15 rounds in the Women’s event and only the top four advancing to the knockouts, slow starts are hard to recover from. Each half-point dropped carries significant weight, and consistency is often more valuable than brilliance.
As the championship moves into its second day, Roebers holds the advantage, but the battle for the remaining knockout spots remains wide open. For the Indian players, the task ahead is steep. While a late surge is mathematically possible, it would require near-perfect results and favourable outcomes elsewhere a reminder of how ruthless the World Blitz Championship can be when margins are measured in seconds and half-points.
