Historic Tournament Launches with Championship Brilliance

The 2025 FIDE World Cup officially commenced on November 1 at the Baga Resort Rio convention centre in Goa, marking the beginning of a thrilling month-long competition. The pristine venue hosted 206 of the world’s top players competing for three coveted spots in the Candidates Tournament—the final qualification stage toward challenging for the World Championship title.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich opened Round 1 with the ceremonial first move, playing 1.e4 on behalf of GM Jeffery Xiong (USA), while AICF President Nitin Narang mirrored the move on behalf of GM Pranav V (India). The dual ceremonial opening symbolized the tournament’s international significance and India’s prominent role in contemporary elite chess.

Historic Tribute to Viswanathan Anand

During the opening round, the newly established “Viswanathan Anand Cup” was presented to the legendary five-time World Champion in recognition of his extraordinary legacy and his pivotal role in elevating Indian chess on the world stage.

Anand expressed his delight at receiving the honor: “I’m obviously very proud to have a trophy in my name.” Reflecting on his personal connection to Goa, Anand added warmly: “All of us love Goa. I’ve been here multiple times for holidays, but actually forty-two years ago I became National Junior Champion in Panaji, not that far away — and U-15 champion as well.”

In his assessment of the tournament, Anand noted: “Obviously, Vincent Keymer is skyrocketing, but I don’t know if that guarantees something here. It’s a special format and there are too many names.”

Elite Indian Performances

Pranav V’s Tournament Debut

GM Pranav V (India) participated in the tournament’s ceremonial opening, preparing for his ambitious campaign in the Candidates qualification pursuit. The elite Indian grandmaster represents the depth of competitive talent in India’s chess ecosystem.

Pranesh M’s Spectacular Victory

GM Pranesh M (2630, India) delivered one of the day’s most impressive performances with a spectacular tactical masterpiece. In a razor-sharp encounter, Pranesh uncovered the only winning move in an extremely complex position against IM Satbek Akhmedinov (Kazakhstan, 2372).

With defensive alternatives like 47.Bd4+ allowing 47…Qxd4 and 47.Rf1 failing to 47…Rxg2+!, Pranesh executed the brilliant 47.Qg7!! The twin threats of 48.Bd4+ and 48.Rc6+ forced immediate capitulation after 47…Ra1+ 48.Rf1+!, picking up the rook and securing resignation.

The Indian grandmaster’s precision and creativity drew admiration from spectators—outstanding tactical execution at the highest level.

World-Class Performances

Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus’s Masterful Attack

Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (Turkey, 2651), currently the youngest grandmaster in the world (born 2011), opened the tournament with a brilliant attacking display. Against CM Nagi Abugenda of Libya, Erdogmus demonstrated why he is rapidly ascending the world rankings with an Exchange French Defence masterpiece.

The critical moment came with the bold 10…Nce5!—a knight fork of queen and bishop, calculated in just six minutes. After 11.dxe5 Nxe5, Erdogmus continued brilliantly with 12.Qxd5 Be6!, renewing threats against the overloaded queen. The follow-up 13…f5! established a decisive attack, culminating in 14…Bd5! attacking both the rook and threatening Nf3+ to win the queen.

“I thought this was going to be a long game,” Erdogmus reflected afterward, “but then he started to play very aggressively. I think he missed knight e5, and after that he’s just losing.”

His tactical brilliance exemplifies the emerging generation of elite chess talent.

Jeffery Xiong’s Technical Excellence

GM Jeffery Xiong (USA, 2648) showcased technical mastery in a difficult endgame against CM Li Yiheng of Hong Kong (1994), a 12-year-old playing remarkably above his rating. Xiong’s performance demonstrated the precision expected from elite players while acknowledging exceptional talent: “I wasn’t at all surprised because he is a very young player and, as someone who was already giving GMs a tough fight when I was thirteen years old, I knew going in that he was a prodigy and that I should take it very seriously.”

Other Elite Performances

GMs Maxim Rodshtein (Israel, 2647) and Michael Adams (England, 2646) both delivered commanding victories. Rodshtein seized the initiative early and built decisive kingside pressure, while Adams converted an outside passed pawn into a new queen with trademark technical precision—a clinical victory showcasing decades of endgame mastery.

GM Vladislav Artemiev (FIDE, 2637) outplayed his opponent with a tactical masterpiece, trapping the queen in the middlegame—a rare tactical motif at this elite level that drew murmurs of admiration from online spectators.

Emerging Talent and Competitive Depth

Young Prodigies Rising

The tournament showcased emerging talent competing fearlessly at the world’s highest level. FM Kavin Mohan (Malaysia, 2346), the 14-year-old Malaysian talent, held GM Robert Hovhannisyan (Armenia, 2633) to a solid draw—an impressive result against significantly higher-rated opposition.

FM Daniel Barrish (South Africa, 2284) pressed with Black throughout against Goa’s own GM Raunak Sadhwani (2641) before agreeing to a draw after 56 moves—a truly impressive result for the young South African, demonstrating resilience and technical understanding against elite opposition.

Tournament Format and Global Representation

The tournament features 206 players from around the world competing in a unique knockout format where the top 50 seeds automatically qualify for Round 2, with 78 matches contested in the opening round. The diversity of nations and playing styles represented underscores chess’s universal appeal and the tournament’s significance as a global championship event.

Looking Ahead

With Round 1 Game 1 concluded and diverse results across the field, Round 1 Game 2 begins on November 2 at 3 PM local time. The tournament promises to deliver the trademark unpredictability characteristic of World Cup competition, where preparation, tactical brilliance, and psychological resilience converge to determine advancement toward the prestigious Candidates qualification.

The 2025 World Cup in Goa establishes itself as a premier platform for elite chess competition, featuring the world’s finest players competing under championship conditions with the highest stakes—three spots in the Candidates Tournament determining who will eventually challenge for the World Championship.