Preview: FIDE World Cup 2025 – Goa, India
Two hundred and six of the world’s best chess players from more than 80 countries will descend on Goa, India, this week for the 2025 FIDE World Cup, arguably the most important individual chess event of the year. From October 30 to November 27, players will battle through a gruelling knockout format for a share of the USD 2 million prize fund and, more importantly, the three coveted qualification spots for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament — the gateway to the next World Championship match. “India is not just the ancient home of chess; it is a global modern powerhouse. This World Cup is being held here because India is now a central pillar in the global structure of our sport. For the next four weeks, Goa will not just be a coastal paradise; it will be the Colosseum of Chess. This is where legends are forged and broken, and new champions born – a process that has been dramatically enriched by the incredible new generation of Indian stars,” said Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President The structure of the World Cup is unique within elite chess. It’s an eight-round, single-elimination knockout event, where each match consists of two classical games played under standard time controls. If the score is tied after those, the players return on the third day for a series of rapid and blitz tie-breaks to decide who advances. The top 50 seeds — comprising many of the world’s highest-rated grandmasters — receive byes into the second round, while the remaining 156 competitors begin their campaigns on the afternoon of November 1st. All games will take place in the Resort Rio, Goa’s largest convention hall and a five-star luxury venue just moments from Baga Beach, offering a fittingly grand stage for one of the most prestigious tournaments on the chess calendar. “I’m really excited and looking forward to playing in the World Cup. Anywhere in India is great of course, but I have some nice memories of Goa as I played some junior events there,” declared Gukesh D, current World Champion, one of the favourites, seeded straight into round two. For the first time since 2002, the FIDE World Cup returns to Indian soil. On that occasion, Viswanathan Anand, the legend from Chennai, defeated Rustam Kasimdzhanov in the two-game final held in Hyderabad, a victory that helped cement India’s emergence as a major force in world chess. More than two decades later, India hosts the event from a position of unprecedented strength. The country now boasts D. Gukesh, the reigning World Champion; Olympiad team titles in both the Open and Women’s sections; and Divya Deshmukh, the current Women’s World Cup winner and the only female participant in this year’s World Cup. Add to that a remarkable generation of rising stars — Arjun Erigaisi, R. Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin, and others — and India’s chess renaissance will be on full display in Goa. At the top of the starting list stand the three Indian superstars, who will be playing on home soil and must be considered the main favourites for the title. Top seed D. Gukesh arrives in Goa in scintillating form, fresh from a 2927 performance at the European Team Championship, where he won gold on board one and played a decisive role in his team’s overall victory. Arjun Erigaisi, though dropping a few rating points in the same event, has been one of the most consistent elite players this year and will be eager to reaffirm his status among the very best. Meanwhile, R. Praggnanandhaa opted to skip the European Teams altogether, choosing instead to rest and prepare after a demanding Grand Chess Tour final in Brazil, ensuring he comes to Goa fully recharged. Among the international contenders, Germany’s Vincent Keymer stands out as a major threat. Currently world number four on the live rating list, he gained 18 rating points across the European Club Cup and European Team Championship, where he secured silver on board one, just behind Gukesh. Another clear favourite is Anish Giri, the recent Samarkand Grand Swiss winner. In superb form and with his Candidates qualification already secured, Giri enters the World Cup relaxed but motivated — looking to extend his streak after taking bronze at the European Team Championship. “I’m looking forward to playing the World Cup. It’s a great event and a lot of fun. I’ve played a lot of them, and I was actually very near to qualifying once. Although I played very well that year, I still remember losing a semi-final to Peter Svidler. It’s definitely a very tricky qualification path,” Giri said, after winning in Uzbekistan. The American duo of Wesley So and Levon Aronian can never be ruled out in an event of this nature. Wesley So arrives in Goa on the back of a second-place finish at the U.S. Championship, completing an eleven-game unbeaten run. Renowned for his composure and strength in rapid and blitz formats, So’s consistency and knockout experience make him a formidable contender. Levon Aronian, the 2017 World Cup winner, has also enjoyed a resurgent 2025, collecting multiple titles in prestigious events and finishing third — also unbeaten — at the U.S. Championship. Few players in the field can match his combination of creativity, resilience, and experience under pressure. Among other 2700+ players to watch are China’s Wei Yi, India’s Nihal Sarin, and Hungary’s Richard Rapport. All three have delivered impressive performances in recent months, with Wei Yi continuing his steady return to top form, Nihal showing growing maturity and consistency on the elite stage, and Rapport producing dynamic results throughout October. Each will be eager to make a deep run and claim one of the three coveted qualification spots for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. With such a large field, some strong players will begin their campaigns early and face stiff opposition right from Round One, while the top seeds will enter in Round Two. Excelling in classical chess remains essential, but in this knockout format, tie-breaks — rapid and blitz games played under
FIDE World Senior Individual Chess Championship 2025 crosses midpoint
The record-breaking FIDE World Senior Individual Chess Championship 2025 has passed its halfway mark. After six rounds of intense competition in Gallipoli, Puglia, Italy, participants are enjoying a well-deserved day off. The 50+ Open section has featured the fiercest battle for the top spots so far. After six rounds, four Grandmasters – Michal Krasenkow (Poland), Mikheil Kekelidze (Georgia), Rogelio Antonio (Philippines), and Victor Mikhalevski (Israel) – share the lead with 5/6 points. They are closely followed by a large group of eleven players, which includes three of the top seeds, all on 4.5 points. Meanwhile, Alexander Mikhalevski (Victor Mikhalevski’s elder brother) reached the rest day as the sole leader in the 65+ Open tournament, scoring 5.5/6. His position, however, is far from secure, as ten players—including several top seeds—are just half a point behind. The pre-tournament favorites occupy the top positions in the 50+ Women’s section, with Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (Scotland) leading the field with 5/6. Pia Cramling (Sweden), Masha Klinova (Israel), and Silvia Alexieva (France) trail her by half a point. Galina Strutinskaia (FIDE) has been a dominant force in the 65+ Women’s tournament so far. With a score of 5.5/6, she will head into Round 7 a full point ahead of her closest competitors: Tatiana Bogumil (FIDE), Nona Gaprindashvili (Georgia), and Larisa Khropova (FIDE). With five rounds remaining, all four tournaments remain wide open, promising an exciting finish. Full results and pairings are available on Chess-Results. Official website: worldseniorchampionship2025.com/