A dramatic day at the FIDE World Cup 2025 saw World Champion Gukesh D exit the tournament, even as four Indians R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Pentala Harikrishna and World Junior Champion Pranav V secured their places in Round 4.
With tension rising across the hall and several ties headed to breakers, India experienced both heartbreak and major breakthroughs on Saturday. After surviving a long tiebreak in the previous round, Praggnanandhaa entered his Game 2 encounter against Armenia’s Robert Hovhannisyan needing a composed performance. The Indian, playing with white, appeared to lose the early edge he had built as Hovhannisyan equalised in the middlegame. But Pragg’s strategic clarity soon became evident.
By move 27, he had generated decisive pressure with his queen and rook bearing down on Black’s king. Hovhannisyan faltered under the strain, and the Armenian resigned after 42 moves, giving Pragg a smooth 1.5–0.5 passage into the last 32.
Veteran P Harikrishna was the first Indian to confirm his Round 4 berth, taking a no-risk draw against Belgium’s Daniel Dardha after winning the first game with white. Minutes later, Arjun Erigaisi and Pranav V followed the same template. Both held with the black pieces and advanced with identical 1.5–0.5 aggregate scores.
The smooth progress of these three, combined with Pragg’s sharp win, ensured India will continue to be strongly represented in the deeper stages of the knockout.
Gukesh Knocked Out in a Painful Endgame
The day’s biggest shock, though, was the exit of World Champion Gukesh D, who was beaten 1.5–0.5 by Germany’s Frederik Svane. After drawing the first game with black, Gukesh pushed ambitiously for a win with the white pieces. But in a tense knight-and-pawn endgame, Svane defended resourcefully, turned the tables and forced the Indian into resignation.
For a player who has been in sparkling form all year, the loss marks an unexpected early exit. For Svane, it is one of the biggest wins of his career.
The surprises were not limited to the Indian camp. Anish Giri, the top-seeded foreign player and one of the pre-tournament favourites, was knocked out after a loss to Germany’s Alexander Donchenko, who converted with the black pieces in 47 moves. The result opens up that section of the bracket significantly.
Round 4 Battles Set: Arjun to Face Peter Leko
The Round 4 pairings promise high-stakes matchups. Arjun Erigaisi will take on Hungarian legend Peter Leko, who advanced after beating Kirill Alekseenko in both games of their match. Praggnanandhaa, Harikrishna, and Pranav await their opponents from other completed fixtures. Meanwhile, Vidit Gujrathi, Karthik Venkataraman, and Narayanan S will head to tiebreaks on Sunday after both their classical games ended in draws. With three Indians battling in rapid and blitz formats, Sunday is set to be another decisive day for the tricolour.
A Strong Indian Presence in Round 3
India began Round 3 with a historic 10 players, highlighting the depth in the national chess ecosystem. With four already through, three in tiebreaks, and a few narrowly missing out, the World Cup continues to display India’s growing influence on the global stage.
Indian Results: Round 3, Game 2
- Gukesh D lost to Frederik Svane (GER) — Svane wins 1.5–0.5
- Arjun Erigaisi drew with Shamsiddin Vokhidov (UZB) — Arjun wins 1.5–0.5
- R Praggnanandhaa beat Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM) — Pragg wins 1.5–0.5
- P Harikrishna drew with Daniel Dardha (BEL) — Hari wins 1.5–0.5
- Pranav V drew with Titas Stremavicius (LTU) — Pranav wins 1.5–0.5
- Gabriel Sargissian (ARM) bt Diptayan Ghosh — Sargissian wins 1.5–0.5
- Yu Yangyi (CHN) drew with Narayanan S — 0.5–0.5 (to tiebreak)
- Vidit Gujrathi drew with Sam Shankland (USA) — 0.5–0.5 (to tiebreak)
- Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU) drew with Karthik Venkataraman — 0.5–0.5 (to tiebreak)
- Pranesh M lost to Vincent Keymer (GER) — Keymer wins 1.5–0.5
India heads into Sunday with momentum, depth, and multiple chances to extend its strong run. With four already through to Round 4 and three more fighting in tiebreaks, the World Cup narrative remains firmly intertwined with India’s ambitions.
