The FIDE World Cup in Goa has witnessed a dramatic narrowing of Indian representation as the tournament enters its crucial quarterfinal stage. From an unprecedented contingent of 24 Indian players who began this prestigious chess competition, only one remains in contention for the ultimate prize.
India's Challenge Thins Dramatically
The hopes of Indian chess fans suffered another blow on Sunday when veteran Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna was eliminated in the tiebreaks against Mexico's Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara. Harikrishna's exit marked the culmination of a challenging campaign that saw him display his characteristic fearless chess, including a remarkable queen sacrifice on move eight during his second-round match that he ultimately won.
Harikrishna's departure followed earlier exits from some of India's strongest contenders. World champion D Gukesh, who entered as the top seed, suffered a surprising third-round defeat to German Grandmaster Frederik Svane. R Praggnanandhaa, another major hope, was eliminated in the fourth round by Russia's Daniil Dubov.
The list of early departures extended to other prominent Indian players including Divya Deshmukh, Nihal Sarin, and Aravindh Chitambaram, all of whom exited before the tournament reached its second half.
Expert Perspective on India's Performance
Srinath Narayanan, captain of India's gold medal-winning Chess Olympiad team in Budapest last year, offered a nuanced perspective on the reduced Indian presence in the quarterfinals.
"It is a bit underwhelming that we have only one Indian qualifying for the quarterfinals," Srinath told The Indian Express. "But I think the fact that we find it underwhelming by itself shows how much we have progressed over the last two to three years."
He contextualized the current situation by recalling that in 2021, when Vidit Gujrathi qualified for the quarterfinals, it was considered a major achievement in the post-Vishwanathan Anand era. The 2023 edition saw four Indians reaching the quarterfinals, which Srinath described as "probably a period of exceptional performance rather than that being the norm."
Arjun Erigaisi: India's Last Hope and Title Favorite
The sole Indian flag-bearer remaining in the competition, Arjun Erigaisi, has demonstrated formidable form throughout the tournament. The Indian Grandmaster has already knocked out two chess legends – Peter Leko and Levon Aronian – in previous rounds, establishing himself as a genuine title contender.
Arjun's next challenge presents his toughest test yet as he prepares to face China's Wei Yi, who at 2753 Elo is the only other top-10 seed remaining besides the Indian. Arjun enters this crucial match with a rating of 2769, slightly higher than his Chinese opponent.
Srinath Narayanan emphasized Arjun's growth since his previous quarterfinal appearance in 2023. "Arjun had reached the quarters in 2023 too, but this time around he's much stronger. He's very good at this format because he excels in all the different time controls," the noted coach explained.
World Cup Format Creates Upset-Friendly Environment
The FIDE World Cup's knockout format has proven particularly volatile in this edition, with rating points often failing to predict outcomes. The quarterfinal lineup reflects this trend, featuring five players rated in the 2600s compared to just three in the 2700s.
The remaining quarterfinalists include Sam Shankland (2649), Alexander Donchenko (2641), Andrey Esipenko (2681), Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2644), Nodirbek Yakubboev (2689), Javokhir Sindarov (2721), along with Arjun and Wei Yi.
Srinath analyzed the format's impact: "This World Cup, in particular, is making me understand the initial reservations that a lot of top players had against the knockout format. One mistake can knock you out and give you no chance of returning."
He contrasted the World Cup's structure with events like the Speed Chess Championship, where matches consist of more than 20 games, providing a larger sample size that typically favors the stronger player.
Confident Prediction for Indian Contender
Despite the challenging format and formidable competition, Srinath Narayanan expressed strong confidence in Arjun Erigaisi's chances. "If I had to pick one player to win the World Cup, it would be Arjun. Not just among the eight players remaining, but also, in the field of 206 from the beginning," he stated unequivocally.
The former coach of both Arjun and Nihal Sarin went even further in his assessment: "It would be a bit of an upset if Arjun doesn't go on and end up winning the World Cup."
Beyond the prestige of the World Cup title, Arjun stands just two victories away from securing one of three available spots in the prestigious Candidates tournament, the gateway to challenging for the World Chess Championship.
