FIDE World Cup Drama: Arjun, Harikrishna Advance Amid Praggnanandhaa's Shock Exit

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 in the classical games in round 5, there were three Indians in the tiebreak, and two of them ultimately advanced to the next round.

The FIDE World Cup is being played in a knock-out tournament, comprising eight rounds, with each round having two games.

Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi defeated GM Peter Leko in both the rapid tie-break games, while P Harikrishna made the most of the chances he got to beat GM Nils Grandelius in the second game to advance to the pre-quarterfinals of the FIDE World Cup 2025 on Thursday.

Before heading to the tie-break Arjun accepted a draw after 36 moves against the experienced GM Peter Leko of Hungary with white pieces. While Harikrishna looked under pressure despite playing white. But he maintained his cool and forced a draw in a bishop-pawn endgame.

Arjun was the obvious star of the day as he won the opening Rapid game in 40 moves with black as he pounced on Leko's error of sacrificing a pawn and then went for a kill. In the second game, the Hungarian had to take risks in a must-win situation, and the Indian kept his cool under pressure to win in 57 moves.

"I am very happy. The tiebreak went well. The classical games were pretty intense, and I had a slight advantage in the second game, but he showed his class to draw. But in the tiebreak, I was pretty much in control," Arjun, who will now face two-time World Cup winner GM Levon Aronian, said as quoted from a press release by FIDE.

Also advancing to the next round was Harikrishna, who managed to hold Grandelius in the opening game with black, and then outdid his opponent in 34 moves with white to set up a Round of 16 match 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 and went for a win with white. But his gamble backfired as Dubov outfoxed him with a strong attacking line to win in 53 moves.

In the other matches, GM Aleksey Grebnev defeated GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave after winning the first Rapid game with white in 70 moves and then drawing the second to advance. GM Sam Shankland won both his rapid games against GM Richard Rapport to reach the Round of 16.

India results (Round 4, Tiebreak)

GM Arjun Erigaisi bt GM Peter Leko (HUN) (3:1 aggregate)

GM R Praggnanandhaa lost to GM Daniil Dubov (FID) (1.5:2.5 aggregate)

GM P Harikrishna bt GM Nils Grandelius (SWE) (2.5:1.5 aggregate).

- ANI