Praggnanandhaa Advances to Fourth Round as Gukesh Exits FIDE World Cup

GM R. Praggnanandhaa defeated Armenia’s GM Robert Hovhannisyan to reach the fourth round of the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Panaji, as four Indians advanced while World Champion Gukesh D was eliminated.

Praggnanandhaa converted a slight middle-game edge into victory after 42 moves, showcasing strong endgame control. Harikrishna, Arjun Erigaisi, and Pranav V also progressed, opting for safe draws with black pieces. However, Gukesh lost to Germany’s Frederik Svane in a knight-pawn endgame. Ten Indians had reached Round 3 of the 206-player knockout tournament for the Viswanathan Anand Cup, with Vidit Gujrathi, Narayanan S, and Karthik Venkataraman heading to tiebreaks.