FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 Round 5 Game 2 LIVE Updates: Follow Indians in action in Goa. (PHOTO: FIDE/Michal Walusza)FIDE Chess World Cup 2025, Round 5 Game 2 Highlights: The FIDE Chess World Cup 25 Game 2 of Round 5 saw India’s Arjun Erigaisi beat Levon Aronian to reach the quarterfinals, whereas Pentala Harikrishna and Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara played a second consecutive draw and move to tiebreaks at Resort Rio Convention Centre in Arpora, Goa, on Saturday.
Earlier in Game 1, both Arjun and Harikrishna drew their respective games, albeit in contrasting fashions. Where Arjun pushed Aronian to the wall, looking to press for a win with white pieces but the Armenian-American was solid in his defences and forced the Indian to share the spoils. On the other hand, Harikrishna and Martinez Alcantara played a relatively quick draw.
ALSO READ | After the heartbreak of Toronto, Arjun Erigaisi finds himself two wins away from Candidates
Seven of the eight round of 16 matches ended without a decisive result. The sole exception was Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov, who defeated Germany’s Frederik Svane on the top board.
Earlier, R. Praggnanandhaa was knocked out in Round 4 tiebreaks by former World Rapid Champion, Russian Daniil Dubov.
ALSO READ | FIDE Chess World Cup 2025: Arjun, Harikrishna play out contrasting draws as fifth round gets off to an uneventful start in Goa
SCROLL PAST THE INTERACTIVE BOARDS AND THE LIVE STREAM VIDEOS TO FOLLOW OUR UPDATES IN REAL-TIME FROM THE FIDE WORLD CUP’S ROUND 5 GAME 2
Daniil Dubov (FID) 2684 vs Sam Shankland (USA) 2654
Alexander Donchenko (GER) 2641 vs Le Quang Liem (VIE) 2729
Andrey Esipenko (FID) 2693 vs Aleksey Grebnev (FID) 2611
Pentala Harikrishna (IND) 2697 vs Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (MEX) 2644
Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) beat Frederik Svane (GER) 1.5-0.5
Arjun Erigaisi (IND) beat Levon Aronian (USA) 1.5-0.5
Daniil Dubov (FID) drew with Sam Shankland (USA) 1.0-1.0
Alexander Donchenko (GER) drew with Le Quang Liem (VIE) 1.0-1.0
Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) beat Gabriel Sargissian (ARM) 1.5-0.5
Andrey Esipenko (FID) drew with Aleksey Grebnev (FID) 1.0-1.0
Wei Yi (CHN) beat Samuel Sevian (USA) 1.5-0.5
Pentala Harikrishna (IND) drew with Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (MEX) 1.0-1.0
Harikrishna has ended his game with Jose Martinez, as the pair will move to tiebreaks, which will be played on Sunday.
Wow, Arjun Erigaisi has beaten Levon Aronian! He takes down a two-time World Cup winner in style with dark pieces! This is big news. He moves to the quarterfinal and is one step closer to the Candidates' spot.
Praggnanandhaa is still in action! After getting knocked out of the FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 in Round 4 Tiebreaks, Praggnanandhaa is still in Goa and made the first ceremonial move on Saturday during Game 2 of Round 5.
We were honoured to welcome Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa R to the FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship in Goa!
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) November 15, 2025
Pragg joined us for Day 2, making the first ceremonial moves and later spending time in the playing hall, observing the games and engaging with participants. His… pic.twitter.com/1GN7dSfM5j
Pentala Harikrishna has the white pieces today and takes his opponent, Jose Martinez, into King's Indian Attack game, trading off the dark-squared bishop.
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nc6 3. d4 Bf5 4. Bg2 Nb4 5. Na3 e6 6. O-O Be7 7. c3 Nc6 8. Qa4 Nf6 9. Bg5 Nd7 10. Bxe7 Nxe7 11. Nh4
Levon Aronian and Arjun Erigaisi are in the Giuoco Piano Opening.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 a5 6. O-O d6 7. Re1 O-O 8. Nbd2 Be6 9. Bb5 Ba7 10. Nf1 Ne7 11. d4 Ng6 12. Ng3 c6
Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) 2721 vs Frederik Svane (GER) 2638
Arjun Erigaisi (IND) 2773 vs Levon Aronian (USA) 2722
Daniil Dubov (FID) 2684 vs Sam Shankland (USA) 2654
Alexander Donchenko (GER) 2641 vs Le Quang Liem (VIE) 2729
Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) 2689 vs Gabriel Sargissian (ARM) 2624
Andrey Esipenko (FID) 2693 vs Aleksey Grebnev (FID) 2611
Samuel Sevian (USA) 2698 vs Yi Wei (CHN) 2754
Pentala Harikrishna (IND) 2697 vs Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (MEX) 2644
Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of the FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 happening in Arpora, Goa. On Saturday, Arjun Erigaisi and Pentala Harikrishna are fighting in the second game of the fifth round for a place in the quarterfinals. Arjun will play with black against Levon Aronian, while Harikrishna will have the lighter pieces against Mexico's Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara.
Stay tuned as we bring you all the live action.
FIDE World Cup: R Praggnanandhaa’s early exit a consequence of ‘brutal, unforgiving’ format?
The perennial debate whether winning the Chess World Cup is a more arduous task than clinching the World Championship has been reignited by the 2025 FIDE World Cup in Goa. In a tournament notorious for its brutal knockout format, this edition has been a graveyard for favourites, with eight of the top ten seeds already eliminated by the halfway stage. Among the most startling upsets was the exit of R Praggnanandhaa, the last edition’s finalist and one of the heavy favourites this time around, in the absence of Magnus Carlsen.
