The FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 in Goa has been nothing short of thrilling, with India’s top chess talents making headlines. R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi, two of the brightest stars on the Indian chess scene, have both battled fierce opponents and secured spots in the third round. The action was intense, and the drama was real, so let’s see how it went down.
Praggnanandhaa Dodges Near Miss
Starting with Praggnanandhaa, the guy nearly saw his hopes end in Round 2! He took on Uzbek-Australian Grandmaster Temur Kuybokarov in a match that felt like a chess thriller. After two classical games that ended in draws, they went into rapid and blitz tiebreakers. Praggnanandhaa was pushed to the edge after losing a rapid game, but showed serious resilience. When Kuybokarov got super aggressive and risky, it backfired big time, giving Praggnanandhaa the chance to come back strong. The blitz games were where Pragg shone, winning both decisively to clinch a 5-3 victory and keep his World Cup dreams alive.
Vidit Gujrathi Strikes Back On Faustino Oro
Then there’s Vidit Gujrathi, taking on Barça of chess, the 12-year-old Argentine prodigy Faustino Oro, nicknamed the “Messi of Chess.” It was a tough test for Vidit. The classical games were super tight, with no clear advantage for either side. The real suspense was in the rapid tiebreaks; both players delivered near-flawless chess, but Oro finally cracked under the pressure in the second rapid game. Vidit moved on with a 2.5-1.5 score, proving his experience and nerves of steel still count for a lot.
Other Indians Also In Round 3 Of FIDE Chess World Cup 2025
But the Indian success stories don’t stop there. The third round also welcomed Pranav V, Pranesh M, and S L Narayanan, who pulled off solid performances in their respective matches. Pranav outplayed Norway’s Aryan Tari with a 2.5-1.5 score, while Pranesh wrapped up a clinical 3-1 win against Germany’s Dmitrij Kollars in rapid tiebreaks. Narayanan had a real nail-biter against Russian GM Nikita Vitiugov, with six straight draws before finally sealing the win in blitz. On the other hand, Nihal Sarin’s journey ended prematurely after an upset by Greek GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis.
Before this round, Indian grandmasters like D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Pentala Harikrishna, Diptayan Ghosh, and Karthik Venkataraman had already punched their tickets to Round 3, making India’s chess presence in this World Cup stronger than ever.
So, that’s how the Indians are shaping up in this high-stakes chess tournament. With more rounds ahead, fans can expect lots of excitement as these chess warriors fight to take the crown.
Also read: Koneru Humpy Backs Gukesh D, Says “No One Cared About Any Chess Player”
