FIDE World Cup 2025 Round 3, Game 1: Upsets, Attacks, and Masterclasses – Abdusattorov in Trouble
Round 3 of the FIDE World Cup 2025 began with fireworks in Goa. The day brought shocking upsets, creative play, and brilliant finishes that had fans glued to their screens.
The biggest surprise came from GM José Eduardo Martínez Alcántara (2644), who defeated GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2750) — Uzbekistan’s number one and one of the top seeds of the event.
Playing with Black, Martínez handled Abdusattorov’s ambitious exchange sacrifice with great precision. As the position became unbalanced, the Mexican grandmaster took control and outplayed his opponent in style. It was a stunning win that now puts him one step away from the Round of 16.
Martínez later broke down his victory live in the FIDE studio. Fans can watch his full analysis on FIDE’s YouTube channel.
Gukesh Held to a Draw
World Champion GM Gukesh D (2752) was held to a solid draw by GM Frederik Svane (2638) of Germany. Svane was pleased yet slightly disappointed, saying,
“It was my first time playing the World Champion. A draw is fine, but I wish I could have pressed more.”
Surprising Draws
Some of the top stars couldn’t find a breakthrough. GMs Anish Giri, Richard Rapport, and Daniil Dubov all drew with lower-rated opponents despite having the white pieces.
Opening Ceremony and Early Action
The day began on Board 2 with GM Arjun Erigaisi (2769) facing GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov (2640). The ceremonial first move, 1.e4, was played by Dr. Ajay Gaude, Director of Sports for the Government of Goa. Erigaisi humorously switched to 1.d4 once the round officially began.
For the first time in this event, none of the 32 games ended by the halfway mark — showing how evenly matched and determined the players were.
Harikrishna’s Masterclass
GM Pentala Harikrishna (2697) scored one of the most impressive wins of the day. He defeated GM Daniel Dardha (2605) of Belgium with a perfect kingside attack in the Sicilian.
After Dardha’s early mistakes, Harikrishna delivered a textbook assault featuring the brilliant sacrifice 25.Rxe6!!, forcing Black to give up his queen to stop checkmate. A flawless attacking display from the Indian star!
Idani’s Creative Brilliance
GM Pouya Idani (2601) also pulled off a surprise by beating GM Andrey Esipenko (2693). Idani launched a fearless kingside attack and sacrificed material to open lines against the black king.
The key move, 24.Nxf7!, shocked spectators. Esipenko couldn’t recover and resigned a few moves later.
Idani credited his success to his second:
“I was tired after yesterday’s tiebreaks, but my second convinced me to go for this idea.”
Erigaisi’s Smooth Win
India’s Arjun Erigaisi impressed once again, defeating Vokhidov in just over 20 moves.
“I had prepared a novelty in this line – 18.Qd2. It’s easy for Black to go wrong,” said Arjun.
His deep preparation and precise execution made it one of the cleanest victories of the day.
Other Winners
Several other top players also took the lead in their matches: Levon Aronian, Le Quang Liem, Matthias Bluebaum, Shant Sargsyan, Peter Leko, Alexey Sarana, Radoslaw Wojtaszek, Pranav V, and Aleksey Grebnev.
Ivanchuk Meets the Press
Chess legend GM Vasyl Ivanchuk, recently eliminated in Round 2, met the media and praised the event’s organization. He also confirmed his participation in the World Rapid & Blitz Championships in Doha later this year.
With nine World Cup appearances in eleven editions, Ivanchuk remains one of the most respected figures in modern chess.
What’s Next
Game 2 of Round 3 will take place on November 8 at 3 PM local time.
Fans can follow the live broadcast on FIDE’s YouTube channel, with commentary by GMs Evgenij Miroshnichenko and Jan Gustafsson.
Official website: worldcup2025.fide.com
Photos: Michal Walusza, Eteri Kublashvili, FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
