World Rapid Chess Championship

The World Rapid Chess Championship is the official event of FIDE, the International Chess Federation, for the world title at the rapid time control. The pieces and basic rules remain those of ordinary chess; the main difference is the clock.

A rapid game gives each player far less time than classical chess but more than blitz, the still faster time category. The control may include an increment, meaning seconds added after every move. Annual regulations set the exact time allowance, number of rounds, pairings, and tie-break procedures.

This pace permits more calculation than blitz, yet it still punishes slow decisions. Competitors must balance move quality against preserving enough time for difficult positions later in the game.

Not every rapid game belongs to the World Championship. Rapid chess is the general time-control category; the World Rapid is the particular FIDE title event. It is also separate from the World Blitz Chess Championship, where players have even less time to think.