FIDE World Cup 2025 R 1.2: Pranav, Raunak, Pranesh, Iniyan, Karthik and Surya advance to Round 2, Aronyak pulls off a stunner against Mateusz

by Shahid Ahmed - 03/11/2025

Six out of the 16 Indians have advanced to the second round of FIDE World Cup 2025. They are - GM Pranav Venkatesh, GM Raunak Sadhwani, GM Pranesh M, GM Iniyan Pa, GM Karthik Venkataraman and GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly. Among them, only Pranav and Surya whitewashed their respective opponents. GM S L Narayanan, GM Lalit Rohit, IM Aronyak Ghosh, GM Diptayan Ghosh and GM Raja Rithvik R will play tie-breaks. Aronyak pulled off a huge upset in a must-win situation against GM Mateusz Bartel (POL). Winning on demand against a former 2650+ is no easy task. GM Leon Luke Mendonca, GM Divya Deshmukh, IM Neelash Saha and IM Harshavardhan G B and IM Himal Gusain got eliminated. Round 1 tie-break games start today from 3 p.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

S L Narayanan, Lalit, Aronyak, Diptayan and Raja Rithvik to play tie-breaks; Leon, Divya, Neelash, Harshavardhan and Himal get eliminated

The second game of the first round witnessed two big upsets. GM Leon Luke Mendonca losing to IM Shixu B Wang (CHN) and getting eliminated. India's highest rated IM Aronyak Ghosh won on demand and defeated GM Mateusz Bartel (POL) to stay in the tournament.

Aronyak - Mateusz: 1-1

IM Aronyak Ghosh (2520) was in a must-win situation against GM Mateusz Bartel (POL, 2575). Mateusz is a former 2650+ player, so beating him on demand was a huge task which Aronyak managed to achieve.

Position after 14...b5

14...b5 seemed to be an interesting break to weaken White's firm control of the center. White took every chance he got 15.Nxb5 Nxe4 16.Bb2 Nc5 17.Qd2 Rh5 18.f3 Bxb5 19.cxb5 and the b5-pawn eventually turned out to be the deciding factor in White earning the victory.

IM Aronyak Ghosh - GM Mateusz Bartel, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

IM Aronyak Ghosh pulled off the biggest upset of the round when he defeated GM Mateusz Bartel (POL)

Yiheng - Jeffery: 0.5-1.5

13-year-old Yiheng Li (HKC, 1994) played a solid draw against GM Jeffery Xiong (USA, 2649). The teenager might have gotten eliminated, but he managed to make an impressive debut at a tender age and played fantastic chess to hold one of the top talents to a draw which is not an easy feat by any means.

13-year-old CM Yiheng Li (HKC) shined even in his elimination against GM Jeffery Xiong (USA)

Allam- Grandelius: 0.5-1.5

Palestine no.1, Mohammed Allam (2112) salvaged a draw after his opponent, Sweden no.1, GM Nils Grandelius (2661). missed a win. Although the result of the game was immaterial to Grandelius in terms of a tournament standpoint, it was certainly important for him as he was playing against one of his favorite players.

Getting to play against one of your favorites is definitely one of the big gets of playing at a FIDE World Cup

FIDE World Cup 2025 Official logo | Photo: Official site

Eddine - Pranav: 0-2

The reigning World Junior champion, GM Pranav Venkatesh (2641) scored a convincing victory against Ala Eddine Boulrens (ALG, 2214) 2-0. He will face GM Aryan Tari (NOR) in Round 2.

GM Pranav Venkatesh won his second game in-a-row to set up a clash against GM Aryan Tari (NOR)

Barrish - Raunak

Position after 35...Rh2

White's only way to escape danger is to play the counter-intuitive 36.Kg4. Instead, GM Daniel Barrish (RSA, 2284) opted for a counterplay 36.Qg6?? Qh1 37.Kg4 Rh4+! 38.Kf5 Rh5+ 39.Kg4 Rg5+ and GM Raunak Sadhwani (2641) won. He will face the winner of the match between GM Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM) and FM Kavin Mohan (MAS).

GM Raunak Sadhwani defeated GM Daniel Barrish (RSA) to secure his place in Round 2

Interview with FM Kavin Mohan | Video: ChessBase India

Malaysian prodigy FM Kavin Mohan drew the second game against GM Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM) to force tie-breaks

Satbek - Pranesh: 0.5-1.5

GM Pranesh M (2630) drew against IM Satbek Akhmedinov (KAZ, 2372) as it was enough for him to win the match and advance to Round 2. Pranesh's next round opponent is Germay no.5, GM Dmitrij Kollars.

GM Pranesh M smoothly advanced to Round 2 by sharing the point in the second game against IM Satbek Akhmedinov (KAZ)

IM Shixu B Wang (CHN) defeated GM Leon Luke Mendonca to eliminate him

S L Narayanan - Stevan Rojas: 1-1

The second game between GM S L Narayanan (2617) and GM Stevan Rojas Salas (PER, 2415) also ended in a draw. It means, they will play tie-breaks.

GM S L Narayanan and IM Steven Rojas Salas (PER) will play tie-breaks for a spot in Round 2

GM Divya Deshmukh lost her second game against GM Stamatis Arditis-Kourkoulos (GRE) and got knocked out

Dylan - Iniyan: 0.5-1.5

GM Iniyan Pa (2601) drew his second game against GM Dylan Isidro Berdayes Ason (CUB, 2453) after the latter missed his chance, to advance to Round 2. Iniyan will face the Czech Republic no.1, GM Thai Dai Van Nguyen in the second round.

GM Iniyan Pa drew against GM Dylan Isidro Berdayes Ason (CUB) to move to Round 2 | Photo: FIDE/Michal Walusza

IM Neelash Saha drew against GM Georg Meier (URU) and got eliminated

IM Harshavardhan G B shared the point with GM Mustafa Yilmaz (TUR) and the tournament is over for the former

IM Himal Gusain suffered second consecutive loss against GM Andy Woodward (USA) to get knocked out of the event

Lalit - Warmerdam: 1-1

GM Lalit Rohit (2506) gained an exchange in the endgame against GM Max Warmerdam (NED, 2577). However, it was not easy and the game ended in a draw. They will have to play tie-breaks.

GM Lalit Rohit and GM Max Warmerdam (NED) will play tie-breaks to determine the winner of their match

Karthik - Roberto Garcia: 1.5-0.5

GM Karthik Venkataraman (2576) seized his opportunity when GM Roberto Garcia Pantoja (COL, 2502) blundered in the endgame. Karthik will face compatriot, GM Aravindh Chithambaram in Round 2.

GM Karthik Venkataraman scored a fine victory over GM Roberto Garcia Pantoja (COL) to advance to Round 2

Ahmad - Surya: 0-2

Position after 20...d4!

GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly (2559) launched a beautiful attack 20...d4! 21.cxd4 h4 22.Ra3? Bf8-+ and Black won the game in six more moves. Surya will face his good friend, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) in Round 2.

GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly whitewashed GM Ahmad Ahmadzada (AZE) to set up a clash against GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

Raja - Kazybek: 1-1

GM Raja Rithvik R (2541) drew the second game against the former World Junior champion, GM Kazybek Nogerbek (KAZ, 2538).

GM Raja Rithvik R will play tie-breaks against GM Kazybek Nogerbek (KAZ)

FIDE Vice-President, Vishy Anand made the ceremonial first move for GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR)

Libyan Chess Federation, Ali Fouzi made the ceremonial first move for CM Nagi Abugenda (LBA)

For more photos, please click here.

Players' entry | Video: ChessBase India

Scores after Round 1.2 of Indian players

Ala Eddine Boulrens (ALG) - GM Pranav Venkatesh: 0-2

GM Daniel Barrish (RSA) - GM Raunak Sadhwani: 0.5-1.5

GM Pranesh M - IM Satbek Akhmedinov (KAZ): 1.5-0.5

IM Shixu Wang B (CHN) - GM Leon Luke Mendonca: 1.5-0.5

GM S L Narayanan - IM Steven Rojas Salas (PER): 1-1

GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis (GRE) - GM Divya Deshmukh: 2-0

GM Dylan Isidro Berdayes Ason (CUB) - GM Iniyan Pa: 0.5-1.5

IM Neelash Saha - GM Georg Meier (URU): 0.5-1.5

GM Mustafa Yilmaz (TUR) - IM Harshavardhan G B: 1.5-0.5

IM Himal Gusain - GM Andy Woodward (USA): 0-2

GM Lalit Rohit - GM Max Warmerdam (NED): 1-1

GM Karthik Venkataraman - GM Roberto Garcia Pantoja (COL): 1.5-0.5

IM Aronyak Ghosh - GM Mateusz Bartel (POL): 1-1

GM Diptayan Ghosh - GM Xiongjian Peng (CHN): 1-1

GM Ahmad Ahmadzada (AZE) - GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly: 0-2

GM Raja Rithvik R - GM Kazybek Nogerbek (KAZ): 1-1

A total of 20 matches will be decided on tie-breaks, five of them consist an Indian.

Round 1 Tie-break pairings

GM S L Narayanan - IM Steven Rojas Salas (PER)

GM Lalit Rohit - GM Max Warmerdam (NED)

IM Aronyak Ghosh - GM Mateusz Bartel (POL)

GM Diptayan Ghosh - GM Xiongjian Peng (CHN)

GM Raja Rithvik R - GM Kazybek Nogerbek (KAZ)

Round 2 pairings

GM Aryan Tari (NOR) - GM Pranav Venkatesh

GM Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE) - GM Iniyan Pa

GM Karthik Venkataraman - GM Aravindh Chithambaram

GM Robert Hovhanniyan (ARM) / FM Kavin Mohan (MAS) - GM Raunak Sadhwani

GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) - GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly

GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis (GRE) - GM Nihal Sarin

GM Pouya Idani (IRI) - GM Karthikeyan Murali

GM Dmitrij Kollars (GER) - GM Pranesh M

GM Martin Petrov (BUL) - GM Arjun Erigaisi

GM Arseniy Nesterov - GM Pentala Harikrishna

Replay live stream

Watch FIDE World Cup 2025 Round 1.2 Live Commentary by IM Tania Sachdev, Sahil Tickoo, GM Harshit Raja and GM Sahaj Grover | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 1.2 games

Links

Tournament Regulations

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