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FIDE World Cup 2025 SF1: Two contrasting draws

21/11/2025 -

Both games of the first Semifinal of FIDE World Cup 2025 ended in draws in under 3 hours and 20 minutes. They were contrasting draws. On one hand, the battle between Nodirbek Yakubboev and Javokhir Sindarov, the All-Uzbek clash was a relatively calm draw. It was definitely a surreal moment for them, as they battled against each other for nearly a decade, both against each other and side-by-side. This is the highest stage they are playing against in terms of individual tournaments, as they have already won Gold at 44th Olympiad. Wei Yi (CHN) and Andrey Esipenko had a relatively much sharper game. Wei found incredible defense to salvage a draw via perpetual check. World's best commentator, GM Peter Leko (HUN) visited the media room after the games, to explain the intricacies of the Wei's defense. Round 7 Game 2 starts tomorrow at 3 p.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

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Isha Sharma becomes Karnataka's first and India's 27th Woman Grandmaster

21/11/2025 -

Isha Sharma became India's 27th Woman Grandmaster at IM RR SahArt in Subotica, Serbia on 14th November 2025. She scored her final norm at that event last week. The first WIM of Karnataka, also became the state's first WGM. She earned her first IM and WGM-norm at Slovakia Open Piestany in July 2022. A little over a year later, she scored her second WGM-norm at 4th S M le Roi Mohammed VI Crown 2023 in Casablanca, Morocco. Two years and almost three months later, she earned her final WGM-norm. Her better half is IM Sharan Rao with whom she got married a few months ago. Thus, Karnataka's strongest chess couple got stronger. Her journey towards the next title - IM, continues. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

FIDE announces the list of players for the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz: A stellar lineup in Doha

21/11/2025 -

FIDE World Rapid and Blitz championship 2025 will take place from 26th to 31st December in Doha, Qatar. All five defending champion - Volodar Murzin, Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Humpy Koneru and Wenjun Ju will return to defend their crown. Total 41 Indians - 28 in Open and 13 in Women will be seen in action including Arjun Erigaisi, World Champion - D Gukesh, Nihal Sarin, R Praggnanandhaa, Raunak Sadhwani, Pentala Harikrishna, Pranav Venkatesh, Aravindh Chithambaram, Surya Sekhar Ganguly, S L Narayanan, Harika Dronavalli, Divya Deshmukh, R Vaishali, Vantika Agrawal, Padmini Rout, Savitha Shri B, Nandhidhaa P V, Priyanka Nutakki and others. Photo: FIDE

Paras Dilip Bhoir wins Federal Bank 6th Tarabai Shinde Rapid Rating Open 2025

20/11/2025 -

Seven players - Paras Dilip Bhoir, Jihan Tejas Shah, IM Aakash Sharadchandra Dalvi, IM Vikramaditya Kulkarni, Jeet Shah, Shreyansh Somaiya and IM Srijit Paul scored 8/9 each at Federal Bank presents 6th Tarabai Shinde Rapid Rating Open 2025. Paras won the tournament on tie-breaks. The remaining six were placed second to seventh according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund was ₹300000. The top three prizes were ₹20000, ₹15000 and ₹10000 along with a trophy each. The one-day nine round Rapid Rating Open tournament was organized by Nandakumar T Vijayamma at Grand Nalanda Hall, Chembur in Mumbai, Maharashtra on 2nd November 2025. This is Paras' fourth overall, third rating tournament triumph of the year. Photos: Akshat Prajapati

Aaryan Varshney dominates Rungta Cements Rating Open 2025

20/11/2025 -

Top seed IM Aaryan Varshney scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to win Rungta Cements Rating Open 2025. He finished a full point ahead of the field. IM Subhayan Kundu and Lakshmi Charan Naidu G scored 7.5/9 each. They secured second and third place respectively according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund was ₹300000 + trophies. The top three prizes were ₹61000 + trophy, ₹41000 and ₹25000 each. The five-day nine round Rating Open tournament was organized by West Singhbhum District Chess Association at Khirwal Banquet Hall in Chaibasa, Jharkhand from 5th to 9th November 2025. This is Aaryan's 18th overall, seventh rating tournament triumph of the year. Photo: Basant Khandelwal / West Singhbhum District Chess Association

FIDE World Cup 2025 QF TB: Wei Yi knocks out Arjun Erigaisi to move to the Semifinals

19/11/2025 -

Arjun Erigaisi did not make the best start to the FIDE World Cup 2025 Quarterfinals. He arrived at a lost position out of the French Defence in the first 15'+10" Rapid game. However, somehow he managed wriggle out of trouble and salvage a draw. Wei Yi (CHN) won a complex double rook and double bishop endgame against Arjun in the second Rapid game to win the match and advance to the Semifinals for the first time in his career. Wei will face Andrey Esipenko who ended Sam Shankland's (USA) fantastic run. Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) got the better of Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (MEX). He set up a historic All-Uzbek clash against his 44th Olympiad teammate, Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB). Tomorrow is the last rest day. Round 7 Game 1 starts on Friday 21st November at 3 p.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

Raahul V S clinches 6th ASEAN Individual Open 2025 and becomes the 91st Grandmaster of India

19/11/2025 -

IM Raahul V S became the 91st Indian to achieve the Grandmaster title on Saturday 8th November 2025. Raahul became a GM by the virtue of direct title as he won 6th ASEAN Individual Open Governor Henry S Oaminal Cup 2025. He won the tournament with a round to spare as he scored 7/8 and was 1.5 points ahead of the rest. Thus, the last round loss against IM Quoc Hy Nguyen (VIE) did not affect the overall outcome. Previously, Raahul had only one GM-norm by winning the Asian Junior Open 2021. In the past six months, India has gotten six Grandmasters which is same as 2013, 2017 and 2019. One more GM would make it the highest ever Indian GMs in a calendar year.

Daaevik Wadhawan perfect at Chinmaya Vidyalaya Delhi NCR Rating Schools 2025

19/11/2025 -

Top seed IM Daaevik Wadhawan scored a perfect 9/9 to win Chinmaya Vidyalaya Delhi NCR Rating Schools 2025. Daaevik finished a whopping 1.5 points ahead of the competition. Vatsal Singla, Daksh Goyal, Aarav Kapoor and Atharv Vohra scored 7.5/9 each. They were placed second to fifth respectively according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund was ₹500000. The top three prizes were ₹50000 + trophy, ₹35000 and ₹25000 each. The five-day nine round Rating tournament was organized by and at Chinmaya Vidyalaya in Delhi from 1st and 5th November 2025. This is Daaevik's third overall, first rating tournament triumph of the year. Photo: Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi

Viani Antonio Dcunha victorious at 26th RCC Blitz Rated Champions Trophy 2025

19/11/2025 -

IM Viani Antonio Dcunha and IM Sathvik Adiga scored 24.5/30 each at 26th RCC Blitz Rated Champions Trophy 2025. Viani became champion, Sathvik second. Mandar Pradip Lad scored sole 23/30 to finish third. Viani and Sathvik traded wins against each other in this double Round-Robin event. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹50000. The top three prizes were ₹20000, ₹15000 and ₹7500 along with a trophy each. The tournament was only meant for wall of fame winners. The one-day double Round-Robin Blitz Rating tournament was organized by and at Rao's Chess Corner in Mangaluru, Karnataka on 1st November 2025. This is Viani's second tournament triumph of the year. Both of them were Blitz Rating tournaments by RCC. Photo: Rao's Chess Corner

FIDE World Cup 2025 QF2: Arjun Erigaisi misses a tough chance, Yakubboev becomes the first Semifinalist

18/11/2025 -

Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (MEX) and Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) made the fastest draw in FIDE World Cup 2025 Round 6 Game 2. The game lasted about 18.5 minutes and 25 moves. It was a well-known theoretical draw in the Four Knights' Game. Arjun Erigaisi missed a not-so-easy chance against Wei Yi (CHN). Who knows whether the outcome would have been different if he had seized his chance. Andrey Esipenko and Sam Shankland (USA) had another well-contested draw. Alexander Donchenko (GER) made a lot of effort to score an equalizer. However, a draw is the maximum he could muster. Thus, Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) won the match and became the first Semifinalist of the event. If Sindarov manages to beat Jose tomorrow then we could see an All-Uzbek Semifinal which would guarantee an Uzbekistan player in the Finals. Round 6 Tie-break games start tomorrow at 3 p.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

Goutham Krishna H and Arshiya Das are National Sub-Junior Open and Girls 2025 Champions

18/11/2025 -

IM Goutham Krishna H (KER) and FM Rosh Jain (DEL) scored 9.5/11 each at 50th National Sub-Junior Under-15 Open 2025. Goutham became champion on tie-breaks, Rosh secured second place. Goutham's sole loss of the event was against the eventual runner-up, Rosh. They both finished a full point ahead of the rest. CM Prathamesh Sherla (MAH) edged past half a dozen players on tie-breaks to finish third with a score of 8.5/11. WFM Arshiya Das (TRI) scored 10.5/11 to win the 41st National Sub-Junior Girls. She won the tournament with a round to spare and finished a whopping 1.5 points ahead of the competition. WCM Pratitee Bordoloi (KAR) scored 9/11 to secure second place. WCM Akshaya Sathi (KAR) scored 8.5/11 to finish third. The total prize fund combining Open and Girls section was ₹900000. The top three prizes in both Open and Girls sections were ₹90000, ₹70000 and ₹58000 along with a trophy each respectively. Photo: Aakash Sadhwani

Nithin Babu clear first at Fouesnant Open 2025, Nitin S second

18/11/2025 -

Nithin Babu scored an unbeaten 6/7 to win Fouesnant Open A (>1500) 2025. He finished a half point ahead of the rest. IM Nitin S and Mickael Batteux (FRA) scored 5.5/7 each. They also remained undefeated, secure second and third place respectively according to tie-breaks. The first prize was €1000. The five-day seven round Rating tournament was organized by Echiquier du Pays Fouesnantais from 25th to 29th October 2025 in Fouesnant, France. IM Muthaiah Al, WFM Arya G Mallar and Drishtee Ghosh scored 5/7 each. They were placed fourth, fifth and seventh according to tie-breaks. This is Nithin's second tournament triumph of the year. Photo: A Cotonea, C Jollivet and F Martin

K P Pranav wins Sakthi Group 34th Tamil Nadu IM-norm RR 2025, Apoorv Kamble second

18/11/2025 -

FM K P Pranav and FM Apoorv Kamble scored an unbeaten 6.5/9 each at Sakthi Group 34th Tamil Nadu IM-norm Round-Robin 2025. Pranav won the tournament on tie-breaks, Apoorv was placed second. Both of them earned an IM-norm each. For Pranav, it was his maiden IM-norm, whereas Apoorv scored his final IM-norm and also crossed 2400 to become one of the latest International Master of India. IM Diasmany Otero Acosta (CUB) scored 6/9 to finish third. The top three prizes were US$ 500, $300 and $200 each. Check out the tournament report written by revered International Arbiter, IA R Anatharam. Photo: IA R Anantharam

Sarayu Velpula becomes the 26th Woman Grandmaster of India

18/11/2025 -

Sarayu Velpula became India's 26th Woman Grandmaster at First League of Central Serbia. She scored her final norm at that event last month. The former National Under-13 Girls champion, scored her first WIM, WGM and IM-norms, all three at the same event in Pontevedra Masters 2023 in July. The girl from Warangal, Telangana, crossed 2300 in the September 2023 FIDE Rating list as she got a published rating of 2386. A little less than two years after scoring her first WGM-norm, Sarayu earned her second norm at Paris IdF Masters in July 2025. Her journey continues as she joins the Indian team at the FIDE World Women's Team Championship 2025 starting today in Linares, Spain. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

World Cup 2025 QF1: Arjun plays a Grandmaster draw against Wei Yi, Yakubboev outplays Donchenko

17/11/2025 -

The first result of FIDE World Cup 2025 Quarterfinals 1 was a Grandmaster draw between Arjun Erigaisi and Wei Yi (CHN). The game lasted for a little less than an hour. Pieces got exchanged at a regular interval. Every move was a material exchange from move no.10 to 17. It was evident from the play that neither side is going to push for the maximum today. Both just wanted to test the waters. The sole decisive game of the day was played by Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) and Alexander Donchenko (GER). It seemed like Donchenko has still not shaken off the cobwebs of his tie-break games against Liem Quang Le (VIE) on the previous day. His ambitious play did not work out and arrived at a lost position by move no.20. Round 6 Game 2 starts tomorrow at 3 p.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

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