GM Narayanan and GM Diptayan Ghosh advance in FIDE World Cup 2025

GM Narayanan, GM Diptayan Ghosh, and Aronyak Ghosh advanced to the second round of the FIDE World Cup 2025 after securing victories in their rapid games in Panaji. Six other Indians had already advanced on Sunday

Hyderabad: GM Narayanan SL and GM Diptayan Ghosh won both their rapid games to secure their spots in the second round of the FIDE World Cup 2025, while Aronyak Ghosh joined them with a clinical performance in the second stage of the Round 1 tiebreak in Panaji on Monday.

Playing with the black pieces in the first game, Narayanan took control of the match and advanced to the next round by beating IM Steven Rojas of Peru in 52 moves. He then wrapped up the match with white, winning in just 22 moves.

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On the adjoining board, Diptayan Ghosh ground out a win in 70 moves in the first game against GM Peng Xiongjian of China. Thanks to his two advancing pawns in perfect position to revive his queen, he was able to win. Diptayan then secured the second game in 46 moves, setting up a second-round clash against GM Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Six Indians – Surya Shekhar Ganguly, Pranav V, Raunak Sadhwani, Pranesh M, Karthik Venkatraman, and Iniyan Pa – had already booked their spots in the second round on Sunday. They will join eight others who received a bye in the first round due to being among the top-50 ranked players in the competition.

India is already assured of one spot in the third round, as Karthik Venkatraman will face GM Aravindh Chithambaram in the second round on Tuesday.

Aronyak, who had registered an upset win over Polish GM Mateusz Bartel in the second classic game on Sunday to stay alive in the match, pinned his opponent’s queen and king to a corner and forced him to resign after just 19 moves.

Rithvik was the only Indian player to lose the opening game of the tiebreak but made amends by beating Kazybek Nogerbek of Kazakhstan with black pieces in 52 moves to stay in the hunt. Aronyak, however, suffered reversals in the second game.

In the second stage of rapid games, Aronyak played white and won the first game in 54 moves. He then capitalised on Bartel’s errors to win the second game in just 20 moves, advancing to the next round. Aronyak will now face GM Levon Aronian of the USA.