FIDE Chess World Cup 2025, Round 4 Game 1: Pragg survives to hold Dubov; Arjun Erigaisi, Harikrishna, Pranav, Karthik draw

The longest game of the day from an Indian perspective, the game between world junior champion Pranav V and Uzbek prodigy Nodribek Yakubboev ended in a draw in 82 moves. This means that all five Indians in action today have played out draws. This makes Wednesday's second classical games very crucial for all the five Indians.

It was a day of draws with Levon Aronian and Mexico's Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara being the only two players to secure a win and edge ahead by a 1-0 score for tomorrow's reverse fixture.

Here are all the moves from the Pranav game

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 e5 7. Nde2 Be7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O b5 10. Nd5 Nbd7 11. Ne3 Nb6 12. Qd3 Qc7 13. h3 Rd8 14. b3 Be6 15. Nc3 d5 16. Ncxd5 Nbxd5 17. exd5 e4 18. Qe2 Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd5 20. Bxe4 Bxe4 21. Qxe4 Bf6 22. Bf4 Qd7 23. Rac1 Qxh3 24. c4 bxc4 25. bxc4 Re8 26. Qf3 Qf5 27. Kg2 Rac8 28. Rfd1 Bb2 29. Rb1 Be5 30. Qd5 g5 31. Be3 h5 32. c5 h4 33. gxh4 gxh4 34. Qf3 Qxf3+ 35. Kxf3 h3 36. Rb6 f6 37. Kg4 h2 38. Rb3 Rc7 39. f4 Rg7+ 40. Kf3 Bc7 41. Rh1 Rh7 42. Bf2 Rd8 43. Rb2 f5 44. Bg3 Rd3+ 45. Kf2 Rc3 46. Rxh2 Rg7 47. Rg2 Rxc5 48. Bh2 Rxg2+ 49. Kxg2 Kf7 50. Re2 Rc4 51. Kf3 Rc3+ 52. Kg2 Rc4 53. Kf3 a5 54. Bg3 a4 55. Re3 Bb6 56. Re5 Rc3+ 57. Kg2 Rc5 58. Re2 Bc7 59. Kf3 Rc3+ 60. Re3 Rc2 61. Ra3 Rc4 62. Re3 Bd6 63. Re2 Rc3+ 64. Kg2 Rd3 65. Bh2 Bb4 66. Bg3 Bd2 67. Re5 Kf6 68. Re2 Be3 69. Kf3 Bd4+ 70. Kg2 Bc3 71. Bf2 Bd2 72. Bg3 Be3 73. Kf3 Bc5+ 74. Kg2 Bd6 75. Bh2 Kg6 76. Bg3 Kh5 77. Re6 Bc7 78. Rf6 Bd8 79. Rf8 Kg6 80. Be1 Bc7 81. Rg8+ Kf6 82. Ra8 Bxf4

And this is how the game played out:

Praggnanandhaa escapes to a draw against Daniil Dubov after some severe pressure on the board and on the clock. This is a superb escape for the Indian prodigy in 41 moves after being under pressure on the board from the 14th move itself.

tomorrow, Pragg will play with black pieces against World Rapid champion Dubov.

Here are all the moves of the game:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. h3 Bb7 11. a4 Nb6 12. a5 Nd7 13. d3 Kh8 14. d4 e4 15. Nh2 f5 16. Nd2 Bd6 17. f3 Nf6 18. Bc2 Bg3 19. Re2 e3 20. Ndf1 Bxh2+ 21. Nxh2 f4 22. Qd3 Ne7 23. b3 Ng6 24. Ba3 Rf7 25. c4 bxc4 26. bxc4 Bc8 27. Ng4 Nh5 28. Ne5 Rf6 29. Rd1 Ng3 30. Ree1 Bf5 31. Qc3 Bxc2 32. Qxc2 Qe8 33. Bb2 Rd8 34. Bc3 h5 35. Nxg6+ Rxg6 36. d5 Qf7 37. Rd4 Rg5 38. Rb1 Re8 39. Qd3 Qf5 40. Qxf5 Rxf5 41. Rb2

Here's how Pragg managed to escape from the pressure:

A victory for USA's Levon Aronian in just 37 moves. A rare decisive result today.

The most colourful of all grandmasters---originally from Armenia, but now representing USA---takes down Polish GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek, who was part of Team Gukesh at the FIDE World Cup.

What a victory for Aronian, who is one of the most senior grandmasters still left fighting.

Here are all the moves from the game:

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. a3 d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. Qh5 Nc6 6. Bb5 Be7 7. Qxe5 Nxc3 8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9. Qxc3 O-O 10. Nf3 c5 11. d3 Bb7 12. Be3 Re8 13. O-O-O Qd5 14. Rhe1 Qf5 15. Nd2 Bxg2 16. Rg1 Bf6 17. Qxc5 Qxc5 18. Bxc5 Bc6 19. Nc4 h6 20. Rde1 a6 21. Kd2 Kh7 22. f4 Rxe1 23. Rxe1 Bh4 24. Re5 Re8 25. Be3 Rxe5 26. Nxe5 Be8 27. c4 Be7 28. d4 f6 29. Nd3 Kg6 30. d5 c6 31. Bc5 Bd8 32. d6 Kf5 33. Ba7 Ke6 34. c5 f5 35. Bb6 Bf6 36. Nb4 Bxb2 37. a4

And this is how Aronian beat Radoslaw Wojtaszek

Karthik Venkatraman pulls off a draw as well. And he will be back with the white pieces tomorrow to win this contest.

Here are all the moves

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c3 e6 4. Bf4 c5 5. e3 Qb6 6. Qb3 Bd7 7. Nbd2 Bc6 8. h3 Nbd7 9. a4 Ne4 10. Qc2 Nxd2 11. Nxd2 a5 12. Bd3 h6 13. Nf3 Be7 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 c4 16. Be2 O-O 17. O-O Qd8 18. b3 cxb3 19. Qxb3 Bd6 20. Bxd6 Qxd6 21. Rfb1 Rfc8 22. Qa3 Qc7 23. Rb3 b6 24. Rab1 Rab8 25. Ba6 Rd8 26. h4 g6 27. Bb5 Bxb5 28. Rxb5 Rd6 29. Qb2 Rc8 30. Rxb6 Rxb6 31. Qxb6 Qxb6 32. Rxb6 Rc4 33. g4 Rxa4 34. g5 hxg5 35. Rb8+ Kg7 36. hxg5 Ra1+

This is how the game panned out

A draw for Pentala Harikrishna in the game against Nils Grandelius. And Harikrishna, who has made perhaps the move of the tournament at the FIDE World Cup with a queen sacrifice on move 8 in a previous round, will come back to fight again tomorrow with the white pieces.

Here are all the moves in the game

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 b4 9. d4 d6 10. Bg5 Bg4 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nbd2 Nfd7 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. h3 Nxf3+ 15. Nxf3 Be6 16. e5 Bxb3 17. exd6 Qf6 18. cxb3 cxd6 19. Qd4 Qxd4 20. Nxd4 Nc5 21. Rad1 a5 22. Nc6 Nxb3 23. Rxd6 Rfe8 24. Rxe8+ Rxe8 25. Rd5 Re1+ 26. Kh2 g6 27. Nxa5 Nxa5 28. Rxa5 Rb1 29. Rb5 Rxb2 30. f3 b3 31. a5 Ra2 32. Rxb3 Rxa5

Here's the way the game played out between Hari and Nils

Here are all the moves of the game:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. h3 Bb7 11. a4 Nb6 12. a5 Nd7 13. d3 Kh8 14. d4 e4 15. Nh2 f5 16. Nd2 Bd6 17. f3 Nf6 18. Bc2 Bg3 19. Re2 e3 20. Ndf1 Bxh2+ 21. Nxh2 f4 22. Qd3 Ne7 23. b3 Ng6 24. Ba3 Rf7 25. c4 bxc4 26. bxc4 Bc8

Here are all the moves of the game:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. h3 Bb7 11. a4 Nb6 12. a5 Nd7 13. d3 Kh8 14. d4 e4 15. Nh2 f5 16. Nd2 Bd6 17. f3 Nf6

Pragg in trouble? Against Daniil Dubov, the engine does not like his position one bit. Both players have been doing really long thinks so far and have around 45 minutes on their clocks even though we are just 16 moves in.

After a near-15-minute think, Dubov makes a move and Pragg has only one good move: pushing his pawn to f3, to try and change the trajectory of the advancing black pawn on e4.

As grandmaster Harshit Rana notes on the ChessBase India and Chess.com joint commentary: "If he does not play that, Dubov can play queen to h4 and knight to e7 and then it's game over."

To his credit, Pragg does find the move and plays f3.

Here are all the moves of the game:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. h3 Bb7 11. a4 Nb6 12. a5 Nd7 13. d3 Kh8 14. d4 e4 15. Nh2 f5 16. Nd2 Bd6 17. f3

Here we go, a quick draw with the black pieces for Arjun Erigaisi against Peter Leko, the Hungarian grandmaster who is playing in his first individual tournament in six years. Leko had in fact told FIDE in an interview that he was thinking he would be helping Vincent Keymer, who he coaches, from home. But in September he was told there was an opportunity to play. He said yes, and the Hungarian federation nominated him.

He's had a crazy run too so far, entering the fourth round while many fancied grandmasters have crashed out.

Arjun will play with white pieces tomorrow and knowing him, the veteran Hungarian will have his work cut out.

Here are all the moves from the game:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Ndb5 Nf6 7. Bf4 O-O 8. Bc7 Qe7 9. Bd6 Bxd6 10. Qxd6 Qd8 11. O-O-O a6 12. Nd4 Ne7 13. a4 b5 14. axb5 axb5 15. Bxb5 Ne8 16. Qb4 Ra1+ 17. Kd2 Ra8 18. Kc1 Ra1+ 19. Kd2 Ra8 20. Kc1

And this is how the game played out:

Meanwhile, a look at the game involving world junior champion Pranav Venkatesh, who's taking on Uzbekistan grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev. Pranav's opponent, playing with black pieces, has opted for a Najdorf variation with the black pieces.

Here's how the game progressed:

And here are all the moves:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 e5 7. Nde2 Be7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O b5 10. Nd5 Nbd7 11. Ne3 Nb6 12. Qd3

Arjun's marauding rook on the a file gives a check to Peter's Leko's king on the back ranks. And as Leko moves away the king, Arjun brings back the rook from a1 to a8. After Leko moves the king back in place, Arjun moves the rook back.

Meanwhile, we have the sight of Leko deep in thought trying to remember his prep.

Leko could claim a draw by threefold repetition now with a move with his king.

Here are all the moves from the game:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Ndb5 Nf6 7. Bf4 O-O 8. Bc7 Qe7 9. Bd6 Bxd6 10. Qxd6 Qd8 11. O-O-O a6 12. Nd4 Ne7 13. a4 b5 14. axb5 axb5 15. Bxb5 Ne8 16. Qb4 Ra1+ 17. Kd2 Ra8 18. Kc1 Ra1+ 19. Kd2 Ra8

So the game is already heating in the game between Pragg and Daniil Dubov after the Indian prodigy plays 11.a4. Dubov, who's known to play fast and furious, is forced into a long think after Pragg's move.

Here are all the moves from the game between Pragg and Dubov:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. h3 Bb7 11. a4 Nb6

And here's how the game has progressed:

Here we go. And we have the Taimanov (named for Russian GM Mark Taimanov who popularised the opening in the 1960s) in the game between Arjun and Peter Leko. Arjun opted for a Sicilian. Leko is on a long think as he contemplates his next move.

Here are all the moves so far:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Bc5

And here is how the game has progressed:

An unprecedented 24 Indians started the FIDE World Cup this year. With a field of 206 players from 82 countries, over 10 per cent of the field was Indian players. But heading into the fourth round, only five Indians remain in the fray for the title.

Among those who have been sent home are world champion D Gukesh, Women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh, Aravindh Chitambaram and Nihal Sarin.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the FIDE World Cup's Round 4, where five Indians are in action. Second seed GM Arjun Erigaisi is now the highest seed in fray and will be up against Hungarian veteran Peter Leko, who was once the youngest Grandmaster back in 1994.

Among the other Indians, GM R Praggnanandhaa will meet GM Daniil Dubov, GM Karthik Venkataraman takes on Le Quang Leim of Vietnam, world junior champion Pranav V will have to overcome the challenge of GM Nodribek Yakubboev while GM P Harikrishna plays GM Nils Grandelius.