FIDE World Cup 2025 Round 3, Game 1: Upsets, attacks, and masterclasses – Abdusattorov in danger
The shock of the first game of Round 3 came from GM José Eduardo Martínez Alcántara (2644), who scored a fantastic win against one of the strongest players in the tournament, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Uzbekistan’s number one, rated 2750 and seeded eighth. Playing with Black, Martínez Alcántara neutralized an ambitious opening idea by Abdusattorov that involved a positional exchange sacrifice. The game became highly unbalanced, but the Mexican GM kept his cool and took over the initiative once his opponent overextended. It was a huge win that puts him in a commanding position to advance to Round 4, provided he can avoid defeat tomorrow. Martínez later analysed the fascinating encounter live in our broadcast studio. Watch his full breakdown on FIDE YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=336BKDB7EZ0 World Champion GM Gukesh D (2752) was held to a draw by GM Frederik Svane (2638). The German grandmaster, though pleased with the result, felt there had been room for more: “It was my first time playing against the World Champion, so it was very special. A draw is fine, but I would have loved to put more pressure on him,” explained Svane in his post-game interview. https://youtu.be/MkwX3JxickE?si=YNgRWu5gjRBdhQ6F Other relatively surprising results included draws by GMs Anish Giri (2759), Richard Rapport (2724), and Daniil Dubov (2684) – all playing White against lower-rated opponents. Let’s take a closer look at the action as the afternoon unfolded. Opening ceremony and early action The round began on Board 2, where Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi (2769) faced Uzbekistan’s Olympiad medalist Shamsiddin Vokhidov (2640). The ceremonial first move, 1.e4, was played by Dr. Ajay Gaude, Director of Sports for the Government of Goa. Erigaisi humorously retrieved the pawn and switched to 1.d4 once the principal arbiter declared the round officially open. For the first time in this World Cup, none of the 32 games ended by the two-hour halfway mark — a testament both to the balance among the players and to their determination to strike first. Harikrishna’s masterclass The first decisive result arrived after two and a half hours, when GM Pentala Harikrishna (2697) dismantled GM Daniel Dardha (2605), Belgium’s four-time national champion. The Indian grandmaster — possibly inspired by his recent work as Gukesh’s second during the World Championship — played with clarity and confidence, launching a textbook kingside assault in an unbalanced Sicilian. After Dardha’s inaccurate opening play, Harikrishna demonstrated precise attacking technique. 22.Re3 (threatening 23.Rg3#) Bc7 23.Nxe4 (with the idea of 24.Nxf6#) Bxe4 24.Rxe4 f5 25.Rxe6!! Following 25…fxe6 26.Bb3!, Black would be forced to give up his queen to stop checkmate – a brilliant finish from the Andhra Pradesh native. Idani’s Creative Breakthrough Shortly afterward, GM Pouya Idani (2601) produced another upset by defeating GM Andrey Esipenko (2693) with a daring kingside pawn advance and a spectacular piece sacrifice. The key moment came after 24.Nxf7! Kxf7 25.Rxg6 Rg8 26.cxd4 Nxd4? (better was 26…exd4) 27.Bxd4 Qxd4 28.Qf5! Caught off guard by this powerful move, Esipenko resigned after 28…Rae8 29.Nf3!, unable to defend against multiple threats. “I was extremely tired after yesterday’s tiebreaks, so I want to thank my second for coming up with this idea,” said Idani. “I had some doubts before the game, but he insisted I should go for it.” https://youtu.be/daXwmJsZzfo?si=Md-lB9UTV8Q59ARM Erigaisi’s smooth victory Meanwhile, GM Arjun Erigaisi (2769) overpowered GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov (2640) in just over twenty moves, showcasing deep preparation and flawless execution. “Even though this line is considered solid, I had prepared the novelty 18.Qd2 – it’s easy for Black to go wrong if he doesn’t know it,” explained Erigaisi. “I was actually planning to play it against Wei Yi in Norway Chess.” You can replay the full game in the Live Games section on the tournament website. FIDE’s star interviewer WIM Charlize van Zyl caught up with Arjun for a quick postgame interview in which he discussed some of the key moves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgAQqQVhgvM Other winners Also taking the lead in their matches were Levon Aronian (2722), Le Quang Liem (2729), Matthias Bluebaum (2687), Shant Sargsyan (2667), Peter Leko (2666), Alexey Sarana (2661), Radoslaw Wojtaszek (2654), Pranav V (2641), and Aleksey Grebnev (2611). Ivanchuk’s press conference Earlier in the day, Ukrainian legend GM Vasyl Ivanchuk, eliminated in Round 2 by GM Samuel Shankland, met the press at the media centre. Ivanchuk praised the tournament’s organization and confirmed his participation in the World Rapid & Blitz Championships in Doha later this year. With nine participations in eleven editions of the World Cup, Ivanchuk remains one of the event’s most frequent and respected competitors. Game 2 of Round 3 will be played on November 8, starting at 3 PM local time. The action can be followed live on the FIDE YouTube Channel, featuring expert commentary by GMs Evgenij Miroshnichenko and Jan Gustafsson. To watch the games in person, tickets can be purchased [HERE] Official website: worldcup2025.fide.com/ Written by IM Michael Rahal Photos: Michal Walusza and Eteri Kublashvili
Line-ups for 2025 World Women’s Team Championship announced
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is pleased to announce that the 2025 FIDE World Women’s Team Championship will take place in Linares, Spain, from November 17 to 24, 2025. The event will bring together the world’s top national women’s teams as they compete for the prestigious title of World Team Champion. This will be the second time Spain has hosted the event, following the successful 2021 edition in Sitges (Barcelona). The most recent championship was held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 2023. “We are delighted to bring the World Women’s Team Championship to Linares,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. “This city has a legendary connection with the game, and we are confident that it will provide a perfect stage for this major event in the women’s calendar.” Line-ups and star participants The event is expected to attract many of the strongest women players in the world. On board one, China will be fielding Hou Yifan, widely regarded as one of the greatest female chess players in history and a central figure in modern women’s chess. Hou Yifan is a four-time Women’s World Champion (2010, 2011, 2013, 2016) and has represented Team China in numerous Olympiads and team competitions, contributing to several gold medal victories, including at the World Women’s Team Championships (2007, 2009, 2011, 2015). Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz At the 2025 FIDE World Women’s Team Championship in Linares, Hou Yifan’s participation is highly anticipated. As the leader of the Chinese national team, her return to team competition will undoubtedly be one of the major highlights of the event. Alongside Hou, Team China will feature an exciting blend of experience and youth, including two of the country’s most promising rising stars — International Masters Song Yuxin and Lu Miaoyi. Their inclusion underscores China’s continued commitment to nurturing young talent and maintaining its dominant legacy in women’s chess. “The World Women’s Team Championship is not only a celebration of competitive excellence but also a showcase of team spirit and solidarity in women’s chess,” added FIDE Managing Director Dana Reizniece. “We look forward to seeing the best players come together once again in such a historic and inspiring venue.” Photo: Michal Walusza Team USA is also coming strong with five experienced 2400 players, headed by Carissa Yip. Born in 2003, Yip is one of the brightest stars in American chess and a leading figure in the new generation of women players on the world stage. A four-time U.S. Women’s Champion (2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025), Carissa is known for her aggressive and creative style. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh will once again lead the team of the host nation, Spain. Widely known as Sara Khadem, she is one of the most talented and respected figures in modern women’s chess. Former Iranian Champion, Sara achieved the title of International Master and Woman Grandmaster, representing Iran in numerous Olympiads and World Team Championships, and in recent years has made Spain her new home. Photo: Niki Riga The 2025 edition will feature 12 teams, including: The semi-finalists from the 2023 Championship: Georgia, France, Kazakhstan, and the USA The top-rated continental teams: China (Asia), Ukraine (Europe), Peru (Americas), and Algeria (Africa) India and the FIDE teams, based on the August 2025 average rating Spain, as the host nation Uzbekistan, nominated by the FIDE President The full rosters of each team can be consulted [HERE].