FIDE World Cup: Pragg knocked out by Daniil, Arjun, Harikrishna advance to pre-quarters
With Pranav V and Karthik Venkataraman losing their classical games in Round 5, three Indians entered the tiebreaks, and two of them ultimately progressed to the next stage.
R Praggnanandhaa during the match against Daniil Dubov
PANAJI: GM Arjun Erigaisi defeated GM Peter Leko in both rapid games, while P Harikrishna capitalised on his chances to beat GM Nils Grandelius in the second game, as both advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the FIDE World Cup 2025 on Thursday. However, R Praggnanandhaa’s campaign came to an end after losing to former World Rapid Champion GM Daniil Dubov in the fifth round.
With Pranav V and Karthik Venkataraman losing their classical games in Round 5, three Indians entered the tiebreaks, and two of them ultimately progressed to the next stage.
Arjun was the standout performer of the day, winning the opening rapid game in 40 moves with black after punishing Leko’s pawn sacrifice, before sealing the match in 57 moves as the Hungarian took desperate risks in a must-win situation.
“I am very happy. The tiebreak went well. The classical games were pretty intense, I had a slight advantage in the second game, but he showed his class to draw. In the tiebreak, I was in control,” said Arjun, who will now face two-time World Cup winner GM Levon Aronian.
Harikrishna also advanced after holding Grandelius with black in the first game and outplaying him in 34 moves with white to set up a Round of 16 clash against giant-killer GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara.
In the other top board clash, Praggnanandhaa drew the first rapid game with black in 12 moves but lost the second after Dubov launched a strong attacking sequence to win in 53 moves.
Elsewhere, GM Aleksey Grebnev defeated GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave after winning the first rapid game and drawing the second, while GM Sam Shankland won both rapid games against GM Richard Rapport to reach the Round of 16.