FIDE World Cup 2025 – Round 1, Days 1 & 2: Young Stars Shine, Big Names Join the Battle

Chessbrainz Nov 03,2025 - 08:12

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The FIDE World Cup 2025 kicked off in Goa, India, with 207 players from more than 80 nations competing for a $2 million prize fund and three coveted Candidates spots.
The opening two days of Round 1 have already delivered drama, creativity, and a glimpse of chess’s bright future.

Move of the Day – Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus Strikes Early

One of the first games to finish in Round 1 came from Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (Turkey, 2651), the world’s youngest grandmaster at just 14 years old.
Facing CM Nagi Abugenda (Libya, 1972) in an Exchange French Defense, the Turkish prodigy unleashed a stunning kingside attack.

The key moment arrived after 10…Nce5!, a sharp knight sacrifice that forked White’s queen and bishop. Erdogmus calculated the entire tactical storm in just six minutes and never looked back

After a sequence of precise blows 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Qxd5 Be6! 13.Qe4 f5 14.Qe3 Bd5! White’s position collapsed completely. A few moves later, Abugenda resigned, acknowledging a masterclass in preparation and precision.

I thought this would go long,” Yagiz said afterward, smiling, “but then he missed knight e5 and it ended fast.

Other Highlights from Day 1

• GM Jeffery Xiong (USA) converted a tricky endgame against CM Li Yiheng (Hong Kong), praising the 12-year-old’s defensive tenacity.
• GM Maxim Rodshtein (Israel) and GM Michael Adams (England) both showcased classical technique in clean, instructive wins.
• GM Vladislav Artemiev (FIDE) trapped his opponent’s queen in the middlegame a crowd favorite moment online.

Among the day’s best combinations, GM Pranesh M. (India) found the brilliant 47.Qg7!! against IM Satbek Akhmedinov (Kazakhstan), a cold-blooded tactical knockout that immediately forced resignation.

Upsets and Surprises

As always in the World Cup, a few underdogs stole the spotlight:
• IM Agibileg Uurtsaikh (Mongolia, 2448) stunned GM Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra (Chile, 2605) in a tense endgame.
• FM Mohan Kavin (Malaysia) and IM Reja Neer Manon (Bangladesh) both drew strong grandmasters rated nearly 300 points above.
• FM Daniel Barrish (South Africa) held GM Raunak Sadhwani (India) to a long, gritty draw.

Meanwhile, GM Divya Deshmukh, the Women’s World Cup champion, fell to GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis (Greece) after a promising start, showing fighting spirit throughout.

The round ended with a special moment: FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and AICF President Nitin Narang presenting the new Viswanathan Anand Cup to the legendary five-time world champion himself.

Day 2 – Big Names Arrive, Favourites Advance

With top seeds arriving in Goa, Round 1’s second day was buzzing with energy.
The playing hall at Resort Rio, Baga, saw appearances from elite names such as Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Jorden van Foreest, and Le Quang Liem, all preparing for Round 2.

The round began with a symbolic moment: Vishy Anand making the ceremonial first move (1.c4) on behalf of Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, with the Libyan federation president replying 1…e5 for Abugenda.

A few early results came fast: Amin Bassem, Étienne Bacrot, and Nikita Petrov advanced automatically after their opponents failed to appear.

But most of the drama came on the board.

Rising Stars and Memorable Wins

• Andy Woodward (USA, 15 years old) defeated Gusain Himal (India) 2–0, showing calm calculation and fearless attacking play.
• IM Ilan Schnaider (Argentina, 14) gave his all against GM Aleksandar Indjic (Serbia) but narrowly missed his chance to equalize.
• GM Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra (Chile) bounced back after his Day 1

Combination of the Day – David Antón’s Queen Sacrifice

GM David Antón Guijarro (Spain) produced the most spectacular finish of the round against IM David Silva (Angola).
After 32.Ra7, Antón unleashed 32…Qxa7! 33.Rxa7 Rf6!, a stunning queen sacrifice that flipped the evaluation instantly.
Moments later, White resigned as the Spanish number one advanced 2–0 to Round 2.

Tough Exits and Tiebreak Drama

Unfortunately for local fans, GM Leon Luke Mendonca was eliminated by IM Wang Shixu B (China) in one of the biggest surprises of Round 1.
Meanwhile, GM Divya Deshmukh’s run ended after another hard-fought game against GM Kourkoulos-Arditis.

Twenty matches finished tied 1–1, setting up tiebreaks with a mix of rapid and blitz formats and even a new Armageddon bidding system if needed.

The next day promises fierce battles as 40 players fight for their spot in Round 2, where the world’s top 50 await.

What’s Next

Round 1 tiebreaks begin tomorrow at 15+10 rapid time control. Winners will move on to face the likes of Gukesh D, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Wesley So, Anish Giri, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Hikaru Nakamura, all joining from Round 2.

The FIDE World Cup 2025 is already delivering its trademark mix of surprises, sharp tactics, and unforgettable moments.
With legends and prodigies sharing the same stage, Goa is truly the heart of world chess this week.