FIDE World Cup 2025 Goa – Round 3, Game 1: Martinez Stuns Abdusattorov, Harikrishna and Arjun Impress

Chessbrainz Nov 08,2025 - 09:44

Round 3 of the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa began with fireworks as several matches ended decisively on Day 1. The biggest surprise came from Mexico’s GM José Martínez, who defeated top seed Nodirbek Abdusattorov with the black pieces.

It was a day that mixed calm draws from favorites like Gukesh with explosive wins from Arjun, Harikrishna, and Idani, showing once again that this World Cup belongs to the brave.

Martinez Stuns Abdusattorov

World number 12 Nodirbek Abdusattorov started aggressively, sacrificing the exchange early to create long-term pressure. For most of the game, it looked like the Uzbek star was cruising toward a win until one critical moment.

On move 23, Abdusattorov played Rh4, overlooking Black’s counterblow ... a4!. From there, Martínez turned the tables completely, finding accurate defensive resources and launching a counterattack.

I was worse for most of the game, Martínez said. Then I realized he had missed one detail, and suddenly everything changed. God gave me this opportunity, and I’m grateful to fight another day.

The result puts Abdusattorov in a must-win situation in Game 2 to stay alive.

Calm Before the Storm: Gukesh Held by Svane

World Champion Gukesh D was held to a solid draw by Germany’s Frederik Svane. Playing the Rossolimo Sicilian, Gukesh defended precisely and never allowed his opponent serious chances.

Svane later said, It was my first game against the World Champion, special for me. I’m happy with the draw, but maybe I could have pushed a bit more.

Gukesh will have White in the next game, and with his calm form, he remains a strong favorite to advance.

Harikrishna’s 25-Move Masterclass

India’s veteran Pentala Harikrishna once again proved he still has plenty of fire left. Facing Belgium’s Daniel Dardha, Harikrishna produced another attacking masterpiece, this time finishing in just 25 moves.

He sacrificed material to open lines against the Black king, culminating in the stunning blow 25.Rxe6!!, forcing resignation.

I had seen the full line until the final move, Harikrishna said later. It’s always nice when your calculation actually works on the board.

After his queen sacrifice in Round 2, this second brilliancy confirms Harikrishna is one of the most in-form players in the tournament.

Arjun Erigaisi’s Smooth Win

Another bright spot for Indian fans was Arjun Erigaisi, who crushed Shamsiddin Vokhidov in a perfectly prepared Queen’s Gambit line.

Arjun introduced a novelty with 18.Qd2, catching his opponent off guard and finishing the game in just over 20 moves.

"I prepared this during Norway Chess," he said with a smile. If Black doesn’t know the details, the line becomes very tricky about exactly what happened today.

The victory continues Arjun’s dominant form and adds another clean win to his growing World Cup resume.

Pouya Idani’s Bold Attack

Iranian GM Pouya Idani, still recovering from yesterday’s tiebreak marathon, defeated Russia’s Andrey Esipenko in one of the most creative games of the day.

After a kingside pawn storm, Idani unleashed Nxf7!! a fearless knight sacrifice that opened lines against the king.

He later explained, “I told myself, you’ve come this far, do or die, let’s go Nxf7. It worked!

The win gives Idani a one-point lead and a chance to make the Round of 16 for the first time.

Strong Day for the Black Pieces

It was a tough day for those playing White. Alongside Martinez, several other players won with the black pieces:

• GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek defeated Vladimir Fedoseev in a long knight endgame.
• GM Liem Le crushed Jeffery Xiong in just 25 moves.
• GM Matthias Bluebaum converted a queen endgame against Ivan Zemlyanskii to take the lead.
• GM Levon Aronian won against Saleh Salem, punishing a blunder right after move 40.

Dramatic Moments and Close Calls

• Lorenzo Lodici, who knocked out Hans Niemann in Round 2, barely survived today. Michael Adams had a winning attack, but the Italian escaped with a perpetual check.
• Praggnanandhaa tried a queen sacrifice idea against Robert Hovhannisyan, but the game fizzled into a draw.
• Pranav Venkatesh won after a short interruption caused by a notation dispute, resolved by arbiters mid-game.
• And in a nostalgic surprise, GM Peter Leko won his first World Cup game in over a decade, defeating Kirill Alekseenko after a tense time scramble.

Leko joked afterward, “I’m not used to these time controls. It’s bad for my heart, but good for my chess!”

What’s Next

Game 2 of Round 3 will be played on Saturday, November 8, at 3 PM IST.
Abdusattorov must win to survive, Gukesh will look to press with White, and Indian fans will hope Arjun, Harikrishna, and Vidit can all finish their matches cleanly.

Round 3 has started with shocks, sacrifices, and pure quality chess the perfect setup for another day of battles in Goa.