Hong Kong: Kazchess and Dragon Chilling lead with perfect 8/8 scores (opens in new tab)

Kazchess, led by Richard Rapport and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (pictured), and Dragon Chilling, with Ding Liren and Ju Wenjun in the lineup, were the only teams to finish the opening day of the World Rapid Team Championship on a perfect score, collecting four wins from four matches in Hong Kong. Several of the leading contenders dropped points early, with Magnus Carlsen's WR Chess losing in round two and Alireza Firouzja's Hexamind suffering two defeats. Mr Birdie and Friends, led by Vladislav Ar...