FIDE World Cup 2025 Round 2, Game 1: Gukesh debuts, Aronian & Wei Yi, Faustino amazes again
FIDE World Cup – It was a special day for chess in Goa! The top fifty seeds, including World Champion Gukesh D, made their debut at the beautiful Baga Resort Rio. They joined seventy-eight qualifiers from Round 1, filling the hall with world-class talent.
To mark the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and five-time World Champion Vishy Anand performed the ceremonial first move on Gukesh’s board.
Gukesh held to a draw
The day didn’t go perfectly for the World Champion. Facing Kazakhstan’s GM Kazybek Nogerbek (2543), Gukesh was held to a draw — a strong result for the lower-rated player!
Before the games began, Anand and the Chief Minister attended a packed press conference. When asked who he thought might win the event, Anand smiled and said that Levon Aronian looked well-prepared, joking that he had been “enjoying Goa for a week already.”
A fan’s delight
As a chess fan, watching these top players compete up close is pure joy. Nearly all of the world’s top 100 players are in Goa, except Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and Alireza Firouzja, who skipped this edition.
One exciting player to watch is Hans Niemann, who is making his first World Cup appearance. The American grandmaster looked focused and ready to fight.
Esipenko’s brilliant attack
Not all games ended peacefully! GM Andrey Esipenko (2693) scored the first win of the day, defeating GM Nijat Abasov (2587) in a sharp attacking game.
After a quiet opening, Esipenko shocked everyone with the move 18.Ba6!, threatening checkmate. His precise follow-up with 19.b5! crushed all defenses, and Abasov had to resign soon after. It was a model attacking game by the Russian star.
Wei Yi returns with flair
Chinese grandmaster Wei Yi (2753) also impressed, defeating GM Kacper Piorun (2557) in style. Known for his creative play, Wei Yi uncorked the beautiful 18.Bf7+!! sacrifice, forcing his opponent’s king into the open. The game ended quickly after a series of accurate moves.
Afterward, Wei Yi said with a smile, “My opponent played creatively. I love being in Goa — but I think I prefer blitz and rapid. Classical chess takes too long!”
Aronian’s beach vibes and brilliance
The always-popular Levon Aronian (2728) reminded everyone why he’s a two-time World Cup champion. Playing against Indian IM Aronyal Ghosh (2520), Aronian displayed his trademark attacking style.
He finished the game with a dazzling sequence — 25.Rg4+! Nxg4 26.Qxg4+ Kh8 27.Qd4+! f6 28.Qd2! — forcing resignation. His creative flair continues to make him a fan favorite.
Other highlights
Several top players also began with wins, including Arjun Erigaisi, Vincent Keymer, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Richard Rapport, Javokhir Sindarov, Vladimir Fedoseev, and the newest 2700+ player, Awonder Liang.
Liang’s game was especially entertaining. His opponent Max Warmerdam chose the wrong pawn to capture and was punished with a beautiful tactical sequence. Liang converted his advantage calmly and secured the full point.
Upsets and surprises
There were a few surprises too!
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Ivan Zemlyanskii (2596) defeated Ray Robson (2664).
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Georg Meier (2596) beat Volodar Murzin (2664) — the current World Rapid Champion!
And once again, 12-year-old Argentine prodigy Faustino Oro made headlines by holding Indian star Vidit Gujrathi (2716) to a draw with the Black pieces. His confidence and composure continue to impress fans worldwide.
What’s next
With so many draws and exciting finishes, we can expect a dramatic set of tiebreaks tomorrow. The FIDE World Cup in Goa has everything — beautiful beaches, packed stands, and incredible chess battles.
Game 2 of Round 2 will begin on November 5 at 3 PM local time, and fans can follow it live on the FIDE YouTube Channel with expert commentary by GMs Evgenij Miroshnichenko and Jan Gustafsson.
Photos: Michal Walusza, Eteri Kublashvili, FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
