The fourth-round tiebreaks of the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa delivered one of the most dramatic days of the tournament so far. Eleven matches returned to the boards, and within a few hours, several big names including multiple 2700+ players were knocked out by sharp preparation, flawless nerves, and rapid-fire precision.
At ChessBrainz, we follow these stages closely because they offer invaluable lessons for players: how elite players handle pressure, how small mistakes shift entire matches, and how disciplined decision-making decides who advances. Days like these reflect exactly the competitive mindset we help young learners build through our structured training programs.
Round four resumed with eleven tense matches, each forcing players into faster formats from 15+10 rapid to blitz and even Armageddon. With minimal time to think, strategic clarity and mental toughness became the deciding factors.
A surprising eight matches were settled in the very first rapid section, leaving only three to move into deeper tiebreak formats. Across the hall, higher-rated players fell to fearless challengers who made the most of every slip.
The biggest shock of the day came when GM Aleksey Grebnev (2611) knocked out GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2737), a top contender known for world-class
rapid and blitz strength.
Grebnev won the first game with White and calmly steered game two into a theoretical draw. MVL’s endgame mistake sealed his fate, showcasing how even the strongest players can suffer under time pressure.
Another heavyweight, GM Richard Rapport (2724), was taken out by GM Sam Shankland (2654) in a clean 2-0 rapid sweep.
Shankland’s disciplined Caro-Kann neutralized Rapport’s creativity in the first game. In the second, the Hungarian’s Pirc Modern backfired, and Shankland converted a textbook advantage.
After a balanced classical phase, Harikrishna (2697) showed exemplary positional mastery to eliminate GM Nils Grandelius (2645). His patient, strategic buildup in the second rapid game earned him a well-deserved place in the last sixteen.
German star GM Frederik Svane (2638) joined his compatriot Donchenko in the Round of 16 by defeating GM Shant Sargsyan (2667). A late middlegame misjudgment by Sargsyan weakened his kingside and allowed Svane to take over decisively.
One of the day’s most emotionally charged results came when GM Daniil Dubov (2684) eliminated India’s GM Praggnanandhaa R (2771).
Dubov repeated his proven strategy:
Offer a quick draw with White.
Play for a win with Black.
Praggnanandhaa’s error in extreme time trouble (35.Bxd5?) opened the long diagonal, allowing Dubov to seize control and win. Despite the loss, Pragg remains one of the brightest candidates for future elite events.
India’s highest-rated remaining player, GM Arjun Erigaisi (2773), continued his exceptional run by defeating veteran GM Peter Leko (2666) in both rapid games.
Arjun’s accuracy, decision-making, and calm execution have made him one of the strongest contenders for a Candidates spot.
GM Gabriel Sargissian (2624) handled the tiebreaks with professional ease, defeating GM Awonder Liang (2710). A late-game blunder by Liang allowed Sargissian’s passed pawn to decide the match.
In one of the closest pairings of the round, GM Javokhir Sindarov (2721) edged past GM Yu Yangyi (2720) after a chaotic queen and pawn ending in the second rapid game. His nerves held steady when it mattered most.
The only 10+10 tiebreak match to produce a winner came as GM Andrey Esipenko (2693) outplayed GM Vincent Keymer (2755) in both shorter games.
Keymer defended well in the 15+10 section, but a decisive rook-endgame mistake in the first 10+10 game shifted the entire match.
After four draws in rapid, GM Wei Yi (2754) finally defeated GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2697) in blitz, relying on his trademark speed and tactical precision.
The final match of the day was the most dramatic: GM Samuel Sevian (2698) defeated GM Lorenzo Lodici (2560) in an Armageddon showdown that swung back and forth across multiple time formats.
With these results, the Top 16 is a dynamic mix of experienced grandmasters and rising prodigies:
Arjun Erigaisi
Daniil Dubov
Sam Shankland
Aleksey Grebnev
Pentala Harikrishna
Gabriel Sargissian
Wei Yi
Andrey Esipenko
Samuel Sevian
Frederik Svane
And more contenders carrying momentum into the next stage.
At ChessBrainz, we use World Cup games as learning material because they reveal the exact qualities young players must build:
• Handling pressure in fast time controls
• Transitioning from opening to endgame with clarity
• Recognizing when to defend, simplify, or strike
• Making practical decisions without relying solely on theory
These are the same principles we teach through our structured training, guided sessions, and analysis-based practice.
If you’d like your child to develop the same discipline, clarity, and competitive mindset, you can explore our guided learning system by booking a trial session below.
Let your child experience ChessBrainz training firsthand.
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