Rapid Chess: Not At All Like The Classical Game

A rapid chess championship was a big event at the end of 2022. It was held in Asia in the capital of Kazakhstan in December. After several matches of heated intellectual confrontation, we got a new World Champion. You might have heard about this genius, Magnus Carlsen. Probably the most powerful player ever.

What is so special about this variation of the game? What does it look like? Scroll down to get all your questions answered.

Distinguishing The Term

Chess is a multilayered game loved by so many generations of players. No wonder it’s produced variations over time, with slightly different rules. One big division is called fast chess. Which, in return, encompasses 3 other groups: rapid, blitz, and bullet.

As their name suggests, the difference is based on timing.

Rapid Сhess: Key Features

Classical matches can be quite lengthy. You usually have 90+ minutes to analyze the board, pieces’ placement, consequences of your moves, etc. Imagine you don’t have this time to think as long as you like. Then you’ll be squeezed into a restriction of fewer than 30 minutes!

Other features remain the same: pieces move according to standard rules.

Skills You’ll Need To Succeed

Is this type harder than the classical version? Yes and no. Views differ. Some find it easier to challenge opponents in fast matches. Others perform way better if they’re given time to think. It all depends on your skills and preferences.

Here are what you should be good at to be efficient:

• Swift decision-making. It’s a dynamic challenge. So, you’ll need to learn to quickly analyze the board and still make the right moves
• Strong competencies in the end-game phase. It’s more than advisable to hone your strategy when there are few pieces on the board. The players’ fate is usually decided at this stage
• Intuition as a driving factor. Since you’re deprived of the pleasure to ponder on the match situation, rely on your guts. Some say it’s a gift from birth, while others insist that it can be trained

Ready To Try?

Rapid chess is a well-known variation. So there should be no problems in finding online platforms to dive in. For example, this is one of the numerous places to try. Another popular website is chess.com. It’s a huge society where you can learn and play with like-minded people.

But it’s also available offline. Do you have a standard set (a board and pieces)? Then you can enjoy the challenge with a friend. It would be convenient to get a clock as well.

We’d like to recommend a short video with the greatest players of our time. They share their opinion on this type of game, the rapid one including. Looking for a great chess resource? Check out https://rchess.com for tips and strategies!