In Panaji, Goa, the FIDE World Cup 2025 kicked off with a flurry of wins and draws that left fans buzzing. The tournament, a single‑elimination event featuring 206 players from 82 countries, is all about earning a shot at the Viswanathan Anand Cup – the coveted trophy named after India’s former world champion.
Indian giant Surya Shekhar Ganguly made headlines by crushing Azerbaijan’s Ahmed Ahmadzada in just 28 moves. As the old second to five‑time champ Viswanathan Anand, Ganguly showed why he’s still a top contender. He will now face French grandmaster Maxime Vachier‑Lagrave in a two‑game showdown for a spot in the next round.
Raunak Sadhwani, a 19‑year‑old from Nagpur, won his second‑round match without a single blunder, edging out South Africa’s Daniel Barrish in 39 moves. Meanwhile, fellow Indian grandmaster Karthik Venkatraman, who sat in the white corner after a draw the day before, forced the last moves to resign and now awaits compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram VR.
The only Indian losing a game in the first round was 19‑year‑old M. Pranesh, who split a point in 36 moves against Kazakhstan’s Satbek Akhmedinov in a quiet rook‑pawn endgame. He chose not to gamble, ensuring he stays in the tournament.
Beyond the men’s side, the women’s field saw wild card entrant Divya Deshmukh lose 0‑2 to Greece’s Stamatis Kourkoulos‑Arditis. A marathon 73‑move fight ended when the opponent’s extra pawn tipped the balance. Deshmukh, the 19‑year‑old Women’s World Cup champion, finished the opening round in the bottom half of the standings.
Grandmaster Aronyak Ghosh stayed in the hunt after a narrow draw with Poland’s Mateusz Bartel, taking advantage in the middle game to win in 41 moves. Four other Indian players—Raja Rithvik R, Diptayan Ghosh, Lalit Babu MR, and Narayanan SL—also carried the match to rapid play, each managing a draw in their respective games.
With the bracket tightening, the next rounds promise even more drama. India’s top players continue to shine, reminding the world that the FIDE World Cup 2025 is still a fierce battle for chess supremacy.
Source: ianslive
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
