PANAJI
The FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 begins in Goa from October 31 at the luxurious Rio Resort in Arpora. A total of 206 players from 82 countries will be participating in the nearly month-long global event. This includes 24 players from India including Goa’s very own Leon Mendonca.
Infact, this will be the biggest chess tournament to be held on Indian soil since the Olympiad in 2022.
The tournament which is hugely significant for the players will provide an opportunity for them to book their spots at next year's FIDE Candidates tournament, the winner of which will challenge the current world champion Gukesh D for the World Championship next year.
Defending champion Magnus Carlsen who had won the last edition of Chess World Cup in 2023 won't be playing in this tournament. Also, missing in the list are world number two and three - Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana. Both of them won't be in Goa either, having already guaranteed themselves a place at next year's Candidates tournament.
The top-three seeded players are all from India - Gukesh D (Elo rating - 2752), Arjun Erigaisi (Elo rating - 2773) and Praggnanandhaa R (Elo rating - 2771). All three of them are strong title contenders and will be carrying the host nation’s hopes.
Gukesh D will be playing his first big tournament at home since winning the World Championship in Singapore last year. Although the last few months have been tough for Gukesh, no player would like to take him lightly.
Praggnanandhaa R who had finished runners-up during last edition in 2023 will be another player to watch out for. In 2023, he had lost the final to Carlsen, after a superb run that included impressive wins against Nakamura and Caruana. Praggnanandhaa will be looking forward to win his maiden Chess World Cup this time around.
India no. 1 Arjun Erigaisi, who is the second Indian ever to cross the 2800 Elo rating after Viswanathan Anand, will also be in the title race. Arjun has been seeded second in the tournament.
Among foreign players to watch out for will be Dutch chess grandmaster Anish Giri. Seeded fourth, Giri is a five-time Dutch champion and has represented the Netherlands at seven Chess Olympiads. He is in top form and will be a big threat to other players at this World Cup.
Fifth seeded Wesley So, a three-time US Chess Champion is also in superb form having finished second in the recently held US Championship.
German Vincent Keymar, who is seeded sixth in the tournament, is another player who is in top form having won the Chennai Grand Masters in August and surely will be a player to watch out for.
The knock-out tournament will provide world-class chess action for the next one month in Goa.
