FIDE World Cup 2025 Goa – Round 3 Tiebreaks: Gukesh Out, Martinez Marches On, MVL Survives 11-Game Thriller

The drama in Goa reached new heights as Round 3 of the FIDE World Cup 2025 concluded with massive upsets and emotional finishes.
World Champion Gukesh D suffered a shocking elimination at the hands of Frederik Svane, while Jose Martinez, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Nodirbek Yakubboev emerged as the biggest winners of the day.

It was a day where nerves, precision, and mental toughness made all the difference.

Gukesh Eliminated in Shocking Upset

The biggest surprise came when Frederik Svane (2638) defeated World Champion Gukesh (2752) to advance to Round 4.
Gukesh, who seemed in control after the opening, slipped in the endgame just before move 40, a moment Svane later called “unbelievable.”

I didn’t expect to win this game, Svane said. But when the knight endgame appeared, it was just easy to play. It’s my biggest win ever.

Svane’s composure under time pressure playing moves with only seconds left sealed one of the most memorable results of the event.

German chess fans had even more reason to celebrate. Four of their players Svane, Donchenko, Keymer, and Bluebaum, advanced without needing tiebreaks. It was a historic day for Germany, as all four top national players reached the Round of 32.

Martinez Finishes the Job

After his stunning Game 1 win, Jose Martinez defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov again to complete a 2–0 match victory.
Once known primarily for his online brilliance, the Mexican GM is now proving his strength over the board too.

Jose is making a lot of people eat their words—those who doubted his classical strength. Now he’s proving it to the world.

Martinez moves on to face Jorden van Foreest in Round 4, continuing his dream run in Goa.

Giri, Mamedyarov, and Fedoseev Also Out

The wave of upsets didn’t stop with Gukesh.
• Anish Giri was eliminated by Alexander Donchenko after losing a sharp middlegame battle.
• Shakhriyar Mamedyarov fell to Nils Grandelius, who once again showed his incredible fighting spirit.
• Vladimir Fedoseev was knocked out by Radoslaw Wojtaszek, who calmly defended a dangerous position before converting in style.

Wojtaszek said after the win, I hadn’t looked at this line in eight years, but sometimes experience is more important than preparation.

Praggnanandhaa & Arjun Advance

While several stars fell, India’s young guns continued to shine.
Arjun Erigaisi safely drew his game to eliminate Shamsiddin Vokhidov, while Praggnanandhaa delivered one of the best games of the round against Robert Hovhannisyan.

Pragg’s creative exchange sacrifice earned him the “Game of the Day” nod.
"I felt I was always pressing," he said. Even being an exchange down, my pieces were active, and the pawn on a6 gave me long-term pressure.

His precise technique in the endgame confirmed his place among the world’s elite.

MVL Survives an 11-Game Thriller

French star Maxime Vachier-Lagrave endured the longest and most dramatic match of the round, defeating Vladislav Artemiev in an 11-game marathon that ended in Armageddon.

Both players traded wins across rapid and blitz stages before MVL finally held his nerve in the deciding game.
"I had to dig deep," MVL said. At some point, I was completely lost, but I kept believing. This is why we love the World Cup.

Shankland Knocks Out Vidit

In another heartbreak for Indian fans, Vidit Gujrathi was eliminated by Sam Shankland in a tense tiebreak.
Vidit missed a winning sequence in the first rapid game, and Shankland struck back to level the score. The American eventually prevailed in the 10+10 stage to move forward.

Vidit’s exit means only Arjun, Praggnanandhaa, Harikrishna, and Karthik Venkataraman remain from India’s large contingent.

Rapid-Fire Wins and Notable Performances

• Wei Yi and Yu Yangyi both advanced with clean 2–0 wins, giving China a strong presence in the Round of 32.
• Rapport ended the run of 13-year-old prodigy Yagiz Erdogmus after a close fight.
• Karthik Venkataraman continued his impressive campaign by defeating Bogdan-Daniel Deac.
• Andrey Esipenko staged a great comeback to eliminate Pouya Idani, proving his resilience after losing Game 1.

Round 4: The Last 32

As the dust settles, the tournament now heads into Round 4 with some incredible matchups ahead.
These five pairings already stand out as must-watch encounters:

• Erigaisi vs Peter Leko
• Praggnanandhaa vs Daniil Dubov
• Vincent Keymer vs Andrey Esipenko
• Richard Rapport vs Sam Shankland
• Javokhir Sindarov vs Yu Yangyi

After a rest day on November 10, Round 4 begins on November 11 at 3 PM IST.

With only 32 players left, every move will matter. The fight for the candidates' spots and chess glory is fully alive in Goa.

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