Indian Contingent Holds Strong in World Cup Fourth Round
The FIDE World Cup 2025 witnessed intense battles in Panaji as multiple Indian Grandmasters demonstrated remarkable resilience during the fourth round's first games. While two-time champion Levon Aronian secured a decisive victory, the Indian contingent successfully held their ground against formidable opponents, setting the stage for dramatic return matches.
Thrilling Draws and Strategic Battles
R Praggnanandhaa found himself in a challenging position despite playing with white pieces against GM Daniil Dubov. The young Indian talent made a critical error on the 14th move by advancing his d-pawn, which put him under significant pressure. The game reached its peak intensity as both players raced against the clock, with Dubov eventually missing a potentially winning advantage. After 41 moves of intense competition, the players agreed to a draw.
Second-seeded Arjun Erigaisi achieved a quick draw against Hungarian veteran Peter Leko in just 20 moves. Playing with black pieces, Erigaisi effectively controlled the 'a' file with his rook, forcing Leko to opt for a draw by repetition. This marked Leko's first individual event participation after six years, making the encounter particularly noteworthy.
Meanwhile, P Harikrishna demonstrated solid play against Swedish GM Nils Grandelius, splitting points after 32 moves. In another encouraging result for Indian chess, Karthik Venkataraman shared points with Vietnam's highly-rated GM Le Quang Liem in a 36-move encounter.
Aronian's Commanding Performance
Two-time World Cup Champion Levon Aronian showcased his exceptional skills with a convincing victory over GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek. Playing with white pieces, the experienced campaigner needed only 37 moves to secure the full point, underlining his status as one of the tournament favorites.
In another significant result, GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara emerged victorious against GM Alexey Sarana in 39 moves while handling the black pieces, proving that color advantage isn't always decisive at this elite level.
Peter Leko provided interesting insights after his game, stating: 'It was a very interesting game. Arjun came up with a big surprise. But in this game, I knew the lines but I had not analysed it deeply. So being too low on the clock, I decided to draw by repetition.' The Hungarian veteran also expressed confidence about his upcoming game with black pieces, vowing to give his best effort to secure a win.
The FIDE World Cup 2025 continues to deliver thrilling chess action as players prepare for their return games in Panaji, with Indian Grandmasters well positioned to make further advances in this prestigious tournament.
