Dragon Chilling completed a golden double at the FIDE World Team Blitz Championship after a decisive final-day run at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong, becoming the first team from China to win the event. Endgame.AI finished second to earn €50,000, while Uzbekistan claimed bronze and €30,000 after a dramatic third-place match against Hexamind.
The last day delivered “upsets, tie-breaks, sudden swings and several favourites falling before the medal matches,” with Dragon Chilling navigating a quarterfinal playoff, a back-and-forth semi-final, and then taking control of the championship match to seal the title.
How Dragon Chilling won the title in Hong Kong
Dragon Chilling’s path to the trophy began with the most complicated quarterfinal of the day. While other teams advanced in regulation matches, Dragon Chilling had to survive “the only quarter-final playoff,” coming from behind against Mr Birdie and Friends before winning the tie-break 4:2 to move into the semi-finals.
Elsewhere in the quarterfinals, the opening round produced a major shock as Uzbekistan eliminated WR Chess, the top-rated team and defending 2025 Blitz champions. Uzbekistan won the first match 3.5:2.5, helped by strong results on the lower boards. WR Chess pushed in the return match, but Magnus Carlsen lost to Nodirbek Abdusattorov and the match ended 3:3, sending Uzbekistan through and knocking a tournament favourite out of the medal race.
Endgame.AI also advanced with an upset, knocking out Team MGD1. The report notes Endgame.AI won the first match 3.5:2.5 and then held the return match to secure a semi-final place. Hexamind booked their spot by defeating Chessgurukul 3.5:2.5 in both matches.
The semi-finals brought more swings. Dragon Chilling and Uzbekistan traded heavy blows across the two matches: Dragon Chilling won the first match 4.5:1.5, only for Uzbekistan to respond with the same 4.5:1.5 score in the return match. In the tie-break, Dragon Chilling “found their rhythm,” winning 4.5:1.5 to reach the final.
The other semi-final was described as equally tense. Hexamind edged the first match against Endgame.AI after a key board-one result in a bishop endgame, but Endgame.AI answered with a crushing 5:1 victory in the return match and then won the tie-break 4:2 to set up the final against Dragon Chilling.
In the bronze-medal match, Uzbekistan produced one of the day’s most emphatic finishes. After losing the first match to Hexamind 4:2, Uzbekistan struck back 3.5:2.5 to force tie-breaks, then dominated the decider 5.5:0.5 to secure third place and the €30,000 prize. Hexamind finished fourth and earned €20,000.
The final between Dragon Chilling and Endgame.AI opened with a statement on board one as former World Champion Ding Liren defeated Hans Niemann. Dragon Chilling carried that momentum through the match to win 5:1, putting Endgame.AI under immediate pressure heading into the second match.
The second match confirmed the direction of the final. Ding drew his game, but his teammates delivered the wins: Wei Yi, Wang Hao, and Lu Shanglei all scored victories, while Yu Yangyi drew the last game against Alexey Sarana. With that, Dragon Chilling sealed the match and completed the golden double in Hong Kong.
After the victory, Dragon Chilling captain Grandmaster Wang Hao said: “We prepared for a long time and played as a family; we are a family.”
Final standings, prize money, and other key results
Behind the champions, Endgame.AI took second place and €50,000. Uzbekistan’s bronze earned €30,000, while Hexamind placed fourth for €20,000. WR Chess, despite entering as the top-rated team and defending the 2025 Blitz crown, finished fifth and received €15,000 after being knocked out by Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals.
The 5th–8th place playoffs were notable for featuring several elite names competing outside the medal matches. WR Chess eventually secured fifth place after defeating Team MGD1 in a tie-break, though the report notes their final day included three defeats for Carlsen.
The day also included a traditional first move ceremony on the top boards, involving Alpha Lau, Director General of Investment Promotion of Hong Kong, and Dr. (name not fully visible in the supplied text), a Member of the Board of Directors of Hong Kong Science and Technology.
In other sections of the event, Golden Stars from Vietnam won first place after an Armageddon showdown with Pool B winners Bosoo Noyon. The first match ended in a draw, sending the contest to Armageddon on board one, where Bosoo Noyon received Black after the secret bid process but lost the deciding game. Hong Kong Young Dragons took bronze after defeating Team Sky 3.5:2.5, while Le Petit Prince won the match for fifth place against Aton Chess.
