FIDE World Cup: Erigaisi, Harikrishna advance to pre-quarters; Praggnanandhaa knocked out
In a high‑energy tiebreak at the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Panaji, Goa, Indian grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and Pentala Harikrishna won their rapid matches and moved into the round‑of‑16.
Erigaisi takes out Leko – The 23‑year‑old Indian stormed the first rapid game against Hungary’s Peter Leko in 40 moves, catching Leko on a risky pawn sacrifice. He kept his steam going in the second game, winning in 57 moves to finish 3‑1 on the board. Erigaisi said he felt in control after the quick games and is now ready to face two‑time World Cup champion Levon Aronian.
Harikrishna beats Grandelius – In the second rapid pairing, Harikrishna held Nils Grandelius of Sweden in the opening match with black, then swept his opponent in 34 moves with white. He will meet “giant‑killer” José Eduardo Martínez Alcantara in the next round.
Praggnanandhaa’s run ends – The younger Indian star R. Praggnanandhaa drew the first rapid game with Leko black and challenged with white in the second. Strong defending by former World Rapid Champion Daniil Dubov cut the Indian’s chances. Dubov won in 53 moves, eliminating Praggnanandhaa.
Other notable tiebreaks saw Aleksey Grebnev defeat Maxime Vachier‑Lagrave, and Sam Shankland of the United States beat Richard Rapport to reach the next stage.
Key takeaways
- India sent two players—Erigaisi and Harikrishna—into the next round of the World Cup 2025.
- Both victories came in rapid‑game tiebreaks in Panaji.
- The Indian team showcased solid play under pressure.
- The upcoming round of 16 features intense matchups, including Erigaisi versus Levon Aronian and Harikrishna versus José Eduardo Martínez Alcantara.
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