Indian chess enjoyed a mixed day at the FIDE World Cup 2025 as GM Arjun Erigaisi and GM P Harikrishna advanced to the Round of 16, while GM R Praggnanandhaa exited after a hard-fought tiebreak loss to GM Daniil Dubov on Thursday.
Three Indians Arjun, Praggnanandhaa and Harikrishna entered the tiebreak stage after drawing both classical games in Round 5. While Arjun and Harikrishna converted their rapid opportunities with composed play, Praggnanandhaa’s ambitious approach in the second rapid game proved costly against the former World Rapid Champion.
Arjun Dominant in Tiebreaks Against Peter Leko
Arjun Erigaisi delivered one of the most commanding performances of the day, defeating veteran GM Peter Leko 2–0 in rapid tiebreaks after their classical games ended 1–1. In the first rapid game, Arjun capitalised on Leko’s misguided pawn sacrifice and converted the advantage efficiently, winning in 40 moves with black. The pressure then shifted entirely to Leko, who needed a win in Game 2 to stay alive. Forced into risky play, the Hungarian overextended, and Arjun held firm, sealing the match in 57 moves.
“I am very happy. The tiebreak went well,” Arjun said. “The classical games were pretty intense I had a slight advantage in the second game but he defended very well. In the tiebreak, I was pretty much in control.” Arjun will now face two-time World Cup winner GM Levon Aronian, who advanced after drawing GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek in 35 moves.
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GM P Harikrishna also progressed after a solid tiebreak performance against Sweden’s GM Nils Grandelius. Harikrishna held the first rapid game with black and then outplayed Grandelius in 34 moves with white to secure a 2.5–1.5 aggregate win. He now prepares for a Round of 16 clash against Peruvian GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara, who became the first player to qualify for the pre-quarters after taking a quick draw through threefold repetition against GM Alexey Sarana.
Praggnanandhaa Falls to Dubov in Rapid Battle
For R Praggnanandhaa, the tournament ended earlier than he would have hoped. After a balanced 12-move draw in the first rapid game with black against Dubov, the Indian chose an ambitious approach in the return game with white. But Dubov, known for his sharp preparation and dynamic play, steered the game into an attacking setup that Praggnanandhaa couldn’t neutralise. The Russian secured the win in 53 moves to take the match 2.5–1.5 on aggregate.
This defeat ended India’s hopes of having all three top boards progress together.
Round 4 Recap: Indians Forced into Tiebreak Battles
The previous day’s classical encounters set up a tense Thursday. On November 12, both Arjun and Praggnanandhaa played out controlled draws Arjun after 36 moves with white against Leko, and Praggnanandhaa after 30 moves with black against Dubov. Harikrishna survived a tricky bishop-pawn endgame to force a draw against Grandelius in 38 moves.
Leko praised Arjun’s preparation afterward, noting:
“I wasn’t afraid of Arjun’s opening line. But when he blitzes all his moves, there is always pressure. Still, the position remained equal.”
Elsewhere, world junior champion Pranav V lost his second classical game to Uzbekistan’s GM Nodirbek Yakubboev, while GM Karthik Venkataraman was eliminated by GM Le Quang Liem.
Other Key Results
- GM Aleksey Grebnev beat GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave after winning the first rapid game and drawing the second.
- GM Sam Shankland defeated GM Richard Rapport 2–0 in the rapid round.
- Levon Aronian, a two-time champion, secured qualification with a steady draw.
India’s Results
Round 5 – Tiebreaks (Nov 13)
- Arjun Erigaisi bt Peter Leko (HUN) — 3:1 aggregate
- P Harikrishna bt Nils Grandelius (SWE) — 2.5:1.5 aggregate
- R Praggnanandhaa lost to Daniil Dubov (FID) — 1.5:2.5 aggregate
Round 4 – Game 2 (Nov 12)
- Arjun Erigaisi drew Peter Leko — 1:1 aggregate
- Daniil Dubov drew R Praggnanandhaa — 1:1 aggregate
- P Harikrishna drew Nils Grandelius — 1:1 aggregate
- Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) bt Pranav V — 1.5:0.5 aggregate
- Le Quang Liem (VIE) bt Karthik Venkataraman — 1.5:0.5 aggregate
With Arjun and Harikrishna entering the pre-quarterfinals, India remains firmly in the mix at the business end of the World Cup. Both face formidable opponents next, but their form in rapid tiebreaks suggests they are well-prepared for deeper runs in Panaji.
