Goodnight Goa – 2025 FIDE World Cup comes to a close
The closing ceremony of the 2025 FIDE World Cup was hosted in the playing hall at Resort Rio this evening, bringing to an end nearly a month of elite chess and marking the final chapter of one of the world’s most demanding knockout events. The hall was filled with players, officials, dignitaries, and guests as the celebrations began, blending formal recognition with performances, speeches, and moments honouring the champions of this year’s competition. Charismatic presenters Ash Chandler and Rebekah Watkins opened the ceremony, reflecting on a tournament that brought together 206 players from more than 80 countries. They described Goa as the “heartbeat of the chess world” for the past several weeks, setting the tone for an evening of gratitude, recognition, and celebration. The audience stood first for the Indian National Anthem, followed by the FIDE Anthem, after which dignitaries were welcomed with a bouquet presentation led by Dr Ajay R. Gaude, Director of Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of Goa. The guests of honour included Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant, FIDE Deputy President Viswanathan Anand, AICF President Nitin Narang, and FIDE Secretary General Lukasz Turlej. A tournament highlights film followed, capturing decisive upsets, tiebreak drama, brilliant comebacks, and the raw emotion that defined this World Cup. After being here for so long and feeling worlds away from the early rounds, the video served as a reminder of how far the event had come and of the many top players who travelled to Goa to compete. As the hosts put it, it was “like reliving the entire World Cup all over again.” The film set the stage for the first major address of the evening by AICF President Shri Nitin Narang, who spoke about how the World Cup came to Goa and praised the collective effort behind this successful edition. He shared a short but fitting story: “There was once a young player who lost so often that he began noting down every mistake in a tiny notebook. One day someone asked him, ‘How do you stay motivated despite losing so much?’ He smiled and said, ‘I am not losing, I am collecting data on how winning works.’ That is the spirit of chess. That is the spirit of this World Cup. Every move, every mistake, every comeback – all of it becomes the epic story of how champions are built.” Keeping the momentum high, lantern dancers then took to the stage with a mesmerising performance. Adorned with candles balanced on their heads, they danced, lifted one another, and moved in synchrony, a striking spectacle. This was followed by a keynote address from five-time World Champion, Indian chess icon, and FIDE Deputy President Viswanathan Anand, who thanked the AICF and Government of Goa, spoke about the difficulty of the knockout format, India’s rise as a global chess hub, and congratulated the three new Candidates qualifiers. He also shared a personal reflection: “Hosting the World Cup here is deeply symbolic for me. I remember how it was when I started my path to a Grandmaster title. When I became the country’s first Grandmaster in 1988, it was a major moment, but also the beginning of a long road built by those who love chess and believe in the potential of India. Look around the country now. Chess is no longer an isolated pursuit. It is a mass sport with growing passion. What we see today is a beautiful culmination of that journey and I feel blessed to be part of it. This World Cup, staged with excellence and true love for chess, has shown to the entire world that India is not just the ancient home of chess or its current leader, but that it is determined to be its future.” Next, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant addressed the audience, highlighting Goa’s rising profile as an international sporting destination. He noted that when he first took office he saw Goa mainly as a tourist hub, but the state has since shown that it is much more, and hosting one of the flagship events in chess has reinforced its status as a leading venue for sport. A live sand-art performance by renowned artist Rahul Arya then took viewers on a narrated visual journey of chess, or “chaturanga,” and the paths of the players who fought through this World Cup. The highlight of the evening followed as the award ceremony took centre stage. Ceremony dignitaries first joined the stage as they would present the players with their awards. Bronze medalist Andrey Esipenko was the first to receive his medal, followed by Wei Yi, and finally the new FIDE World Cup Champion, Javokhir Sindarov, who was presented with the gold medal and the Viswanathan Anand Trophy. Golden streamers then burst onto the stage, highlighting the sense of victory even more. The national anthem of Uzbekistan played in the hall before a special surprise video was screened for the champion, featuring a congratulatory message from the President of Uzbekistan to the young star. He was then handed the microphone for his own short victory speech, in which he spoke about his long and fortunate connection with India, recalling that he first played here at the age of seven, winning the Under-7 Asian Championships, and later returned for the 2022 FIDE Olympiad in Chennai. Above all, he repeated how genuinely happy he felt in this moment. The ceremony concluded with final remarks from the hosts, after which FIDE Deputy President Viswanathan Anand returned to the podium to formally declare the FIDE World Cup 2025 closed. As the lights dimmed and guests moved toward the poolside gala dinner, the celebrations marked the end of a World Cup that delivered unforgettable games, rising stars, and the crowning of three new Candidates. Written by WIM Charlize van Zyl (Goa, India) Photos: Michal Walusza
Javokhir Sindarov crowned 2025 FIDE World Cup Champion
Javokhir Sindarov secured the title after a tense tiebreak match lasting only two games, earning a place in the history books as the youngest FIDE World Cup Champion. The final day of the FIDE World Cup arrived with all the ingredients for a dramatic finish. What began on November 1st with 206 players had now narrowed to just two: Chinese Number 1 Wei Yi and Uzbek star Javokhir Sindarov. Both had endured long, difficult paths to reach this stage, and after two classical draws, they carried the battle into tiebreaks. With both players exceptional in rapid and blitz throughout the event, there was no clear favourite. With his 2–0 classical victory over Nodirbek Yakubboev, Andrey Esipenko secured third place and qualification to the Candidates, leaving only one board on the stage today. All attention shifted to the final match, a fitting conclusion to an almost month-long marathon. The ceremonial first move was made by GM Dibyendu Barua, Vice President of the All India Chess Federation and the second Indian player after Viswanathan Anand to earn the grandmaster title. While the tiebreaks took center stage, the atmosphere in the hall reflected the significance of the moment. Preparations for the closing ceremony had begun early in the morning, with a stage set up along the side of the hall. Outside, tables were arranged poolside for the gala-style dinner that would bring the month-long event to an elegant close. But before the celebrations begin, let’s take a look at how the games unfolded today. Final tiebreak result:Wei Yi ½ – 1 ½ Javokhir Sindarov Wei Yi (2752) vs Javokhir Sindarov (2721) The day began with a change of pace: Sindarov avoided Wei Yi’s trusted Petroff by beginning with 1.d4, and a Queen’s Gambit Declined Ragozin soon appeared on the board. It was a largely even game with interesting play from both sides, remaining balanced as it moved into a bishop endgame. Everything pointed toward a draw until a sudden, serious mistake shifted the evaluation. Wei Yi had just played 30…g5, whereas almost any bishop move would have held equality. This instead allowed White to reach a winning position after 31.Be4, forcing the trade of bishops. After 31…Bxe4, White would enter a winning pawn and then queen endgame – both promote their pawns simultaneously, but Black would lose due to vulnerability of his kingside pawns. If 31…Bc6, the key move 32.h5 becomes essential, leading again to a favourable bishop trade and a dominant white king. Sindarov, however, took a few minutes before choosing 31.h5, which returned the evaluation to equality. Wei Yi, visibly aware of his earlier error, immediately removed the bishop from the dangerous h1-a8 diagonal, delayed the trade, maintained opposition, and guided the game safely to a draw. He said that after the game he realised this which made him sad, b ut he tried to not let it get to him in the next game, where he then delivered. The second game began with an Italian, where Sindarov, playing with the Black pieces, opted for a solid setup with …Be7 and …d6. In the middlegame, however, it was White who adopted a more passive approach, allowing Black to arrange his rooks at active positions. Still with the only weakness in his camp – the c2-pawn – White comfortably maintained balance. Curiously, it was Sindarov who offered a draw at one point, which Wei Yi declined. And then the time scramble began. Wei opened up the position with the objectively strong but double-edged pawn-push f3-f4, and it nearly worked for him as White emerged clearly better at some point. Chinese GM did not find the precise 52.Qg6! which would have posed serious problems for Black after 52…Qxg6 53.hxg6 as his king trapped in the corner. Instead White played 52.g4? and it was equal again. Sindarov played intelligently, creating practical problems for White, where a single misstep could tip the balance. Black’s rook duo on the first rank grew increasingly dangerous, while Wei Yi survived several critical moments by making moves with only one second left on the clock. But eventually time pressure took its toll, producing a decisive mistake from Wei Yi: Black’s queen is preparing to infiltrate via 57…Qh4, and White must find the only move 57.Kg2 to stay alive. After 57…Qh4, White has 58.Rf8+! Kxf8 59.Qf3, forcing perpetual check, and Black cannot escape. Instead, with a single second remaining, Wei Yi erred with 57.Rxd4?? Sindarov immediately jumped on the opportunity: 57…Qh4+ 58.Kf4 Re1 59.Qg2 Qg5+ 60.Kg3 Qe3+ Wei Yi extended his hand in resignation, and Sindarov happily accepted, prompting applause throughout the hall. The happy champion described the victory as the best day of his life and career, adding that it was only the beginning. Outside the hall, he was embraced by family and friends, celebrating him with cheers and wrapping an Uzbek flag around his shoulders, the start of an evening of celebrations. And that concludes our time here in Goa after a month of intense chess. The spotlight has been on the final four for the past week, but looking back, the event was filled with memorable performances and stories. From José Martínez’s impressive run and upset over Nodirbek Abdusattorov, to Frederik Svane’s victory against World Champion Gukesh D, to viral moments like Daniil Dubov’s “10-minute prep” against Praggnanandhaa, and heartbreaking ones such as Arjun Erigaisi’s final tiebreak blunder against Wei Yi. These are moments we will remember, and I hope you will too. This World Cup delivered upsets, brilliance, drama, and most importantly, three new FIDE Candidates Qualifiers who will compete next year in Cyprus. Now, the focus shifts to the next major event: the 2025 FIDE Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha, Qatar, from 26-30 December. Stay tuned. Written by WIM Charlize van Zyl (Goa, India) Photos: Michal Walusza