FIDE World Cup 2025 R3.2: Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Pranav V and Harikrishna advance
Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Pranav Venkatesh and Pentala Harikrishna have advanced to the fourth round of FIDE World Cup 2025. Arjun played for a win. However, his opponent, Shamsiddin Vokhidov (UZB) did not budge, so draw was the maximum Arjun could get. Praggnanandhaa is getting back to his shape as he scored a fine victory by sacrificing an exchange against Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM). Pranav and Harikrishna drew their respective games against Titas Stremavicius (LTU) and Daniel Dardha (BEL) respectively. World Champion - D Gukesh, Diptayan Ghosh and Pranesh M lost their respective games to get eliminated. Three Indians - S L Narayanan, Vidit Gujrathi and Karthik Venkataraman will play tie-break games today. Round 3 Tie-breaks start today from 3 p.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed
World Champion D Gukesh, Diptayan Ghosh and Pranesh M get eliminated; S L Narayanan, Vidit and Karthik to play tie-breaks
Statistically, a reigning World Champion has not won a World Cup in more than a decade. This time also, it was no different. GM Frederik Svane (GER) got the better of the World Champion, GM D Gukesh. Mexico no.1, GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara defeated GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) for the second consecutive Classical game to eliminate him. GM Alexander Donchenko (GER) defeated FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 champion, GM Anish Giri (NED) to knock him out of the event. Currently, there are four German players already in Round 4 which is the highest tied with India after Round 3.2. You can visit the venue and watch the games live in person. Check the buy tickets link at the end of the article for all details.
Gukesh - Frederik: 0.5-1.5
The World Champion, GM D Gukesh (2763) made some questionable decision in the Italian opening against GM Frederik Svane (GER, 2640). He found himself in deep trouble when the position forced him to trade queens and go into an inferior rook and double knight endgame.
It would not be an understatement to say White is positionally lost after 28...f4. 29.Qe4 is forced Kh7 30.Qxg6+ Kxg6 31.Ne4 Kf5 32.Nfd2 Nc5 while the computer might say the position is equal, in reality it is incredibly difficult for a human to defend this. 33.Re1 Nd3 34.Rb1 h5 35.Kf1 Nc5 36.f3 Rd3 37.Kf2 g4 38.hxg4+ hxg4 39.Re1 g3+ 40.Ke2 Re3+ 41.Kd1 Rxe1+ 42.Kxe1 Ke6 43.Kd1 Ne7 now it just became a long walk towards White's inevitable demise. This win moves Frederik to Round 4 where he will face GM Shant Sargsyan (ARM).
Vokhidov - Arjun: 0.5-1.5
It was evident from the World no.6, GM Arjun Erigaisi's (2769) play that even though he just needed a draw against GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov (UZB, 2640) to win the match, he was playing for a win. Vokhidov ensured that he did not make any big mistake and the game eventually ended in a draw via repetition in rook endgame. Arjun will face the legend and coach of GM Vincent Keymer, GM Peter Leko (HUN) in Round 4.
Praggnanandhaa - Hovhannisyan: 1.5-0.5
GM R Praggnanandhaa (2768) made an interesting exchange sacrifice versus GM Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM, 2629)
19...Bd6 20.R1xd6 or R7xd6 cxd6 is recommended by the computer. Instead, Black opted to accept the sacrifice 19...Bxd7 20.Rxd7 c5 21.b5 Black has a light-square weakness on the queenside. 21...Bf6 22.a4 Qg6 23.a5 Rfe8 24.a6 and the a-pawn combined with the color weakness played a key role in White earning the full point. Praggnanandhaa will face the winner of the tie-breaks between GM Georg Meier (URU) and GM Daniil Dubov.
Donchenko - Giri: 1.5-0.5
After losing a crucial pawn on the kingside, GM Anish Giri (NED, 2769) blundered in time trouble against GM Alexander Donchenko (GER, 2641).
37.f6+- and it's over for Black. 37...Nxf6 38.Bxf6 and Black can neither recover the piece nor it has the option of giving incessant checks, they are finite. Donchenko will face his compatriot, GM Matthias Bluebaum (GER). It also means that one German player is guaranteed to be in Round 5 or also known as Round of 16.
Titas - Pranav: 1.5-0.5
GM Pranav Venkatesh (2641) played a well contested draw against GM Titas Stremavicius (LTU, 2544) to advance to Round 4. Pranav will face the winner of the tie-breaks between GM Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE) and GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB).
Pranesh - Keymer: 0.5-1.5
GM Pranesh M (2630) made a bold decision to play Anti-Berlin in the Ruy Lopez against the World no.4, GM Vincent Keymer (GER, 2773). Playing Berlin and going for a draw would certainly not have been a bad result against the World no.4. But as they say, decisions are always correct, only in retrospect we feel we could have done otherwise. Keymer played a beautiful positional game to outplay his opponent. He will face the winner of the tie-breaks between GM Andrey Esipenko and GM Pouya Idani (IRI).
Jose Eduardo - Abdusattorov: 2-0
The new Mexico no.1, GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2644) defeated World Rapid 2019 champion, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB, 2750) in the second consecutive game to eliminate him from the tournament.
Just like the first game, when Jose Eduardo played a4 with the black pieces to turn things in his way, in the second game also, he got a similar chance to play 44.a5 and claim a significant advantage. Instead, he played 44.Nc4 Nf4 45.Nxd6 Qf6 46.Nxb7 Qh6 47.f3 Qf6 48.Re3
48...Qxd4 would have kept the game going. Instead, 48...Rf8?? ended things in a hurry 49.Nd6+- Qxd4 50.Kf1 Kb8 51.Nf5! Qe5 52.Qg7 and White won. Jose Eduardo eliminated Abdusattorov and advanced to the fourth round of the tournament where he will face the winner of the tie-breaks between GM Jorden van Foreest (NED) and GM Alexey Sarana (SRB).
Yangyi - S L Narayanan: 1-1
GM S L Narayanan (2617) drew the second game against GM Yangyi Yu (CHN, 2726). They will have to play tie-breaks to determine the winner of the match.
Vidit - Shankland: 1-1
GM Vidit Gujrathi (2715) drew his second game against GM Sam Shankland (USA, 2649). They will have to play tie-breaks to determine the winner of the match.
Deac - Karthik: 1-1
The second Classical rated game between GM Karthik Venkataraman (2576) and GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU, 2655) ended in a draw.
Dardha - Harikrishna: 0.5-1.5
GM Pentala Harikrishna (2690) drew the second game against GM Daniel Dardha (BEL, 2598) comfortably to advance to the fourth round. He will face his Novy Bor teammate, GM Nils Grandelius (SWE) in Round 4.
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Round 3.2 results
GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov (UZB) - GM Arjun Erigaisi : 0.5-1.5
GM R Praggnananandhaa - GM Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM) : 1.5-0.5
GM Titas Stremavicius (LTU) - GM Pranav Venkatesh : 0.5-1.5
GM Daniel Dardha (BEL) - GM Pentala Harikrishna : 0.5-1.5
GM D Gukesh - GM Frederik Svane (GER) : 0.5-1.5
GM Pranesh M - GM Vincent Keymer (GER) : 0.5-1.5
GM Gabriel Sargissian (ARM) - GM Diptayan Ghosh : 1.5-0.5
GM Yangyi Yu (CHN) - GM S L Narayanan : 1-1
GM Vidit Gujrathi - GM Sam Shankland (USA) : 1-1
GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU) - GM Karthik Venkataraman : 1-1
Round 3 tie-break pairings
GM Yangyi Yu (CHN) - GM S L Narayanan
GM Vidit Gujrathi - GM Sam Shankland (USA)
GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU) - GM Karthik Venkataraman
Round 4.1 pairings
GM Nils Grandelius (SWE) - GM Pentala Harikrishna
GM Pranav Venkatesh - GM Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE) / GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB)
GM R Praggnanandhaa - GM Georg Meier (URU) / GM Daniil Dubov
GM Peter Leko (HUN) - GM Arjun Erigaisi
