Diptayan Ghosh Eliminates Nepomniachtchi

GM Diptayan Ghosh (2573) from Kolkata delivered one of the biggest shocks of the tournament, defeating two-time World Championship challenger GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2732) and eliminating the Russian star from theFIDE World Cup.

The upset sent shockwaves through the chess world, as the FIDE World Cup 2025 enters its decisive knockout stages. With top seeds falling and underdogs rising, this year’s event is rapidly reshaping the favorites list — and may even redefine chess history.

On November 5, 2025, Diptayan’s victory became one of the standout moments of the event, marking a career-defining win and shifting the momentum of the entire competition.

A Historic Upset

The victory carries weight beyond a single match result. Nepomniachtchi, who challenged Magnus Carlsen in 2021 and Ding Liren in 2023 for the world title, was one of Russia's last hopes for Candidates Tournament qualification through the World Cup.

With his elimination, and no other Russian players advancing deep into the tournament, Russia faces the possibility of having zero representatives in the 2026 Candidates Tournament for the first time in the event's history. This would mark a stunning reversal for a nation that has dominated elite chess since the Soviet era.

The Rise of Indian Chess

Ghosh's win is more than an individual achievement. It symbolizes India's meteoric rise in world chess. With reigning World Champion Gukesh (19), rising stars Praggnanandhaa (20) and Arjun Erigaisi (21), and now Ghosh's giant-killing performance, India is reshaping the global chess landscape.

The 32-year-old from Kolkata, known for his solid positional style, played with precision and nerves of steel to convert a slight advantage into a decisive win. In the post-game interview, Ghosh described the victory as "surreal" but acknowledged he had prepared thoroughly for Nepomniachtchi's aggressive style.

The Road Ahead

Ghosh's journey is far from over. He still faces tougher rounds, higher-rated opponents, and the mounting pressure that comes with carrying the hopes of a chess-mad nation.

But for now, his stunning elimination of Nepomniachtchi will be remembered as one of the defining moments of the 2025 World Cup, a day when the next generation proved that chess's future has already arrived.

More to explore:

1. FIDE Women's World Chess Championship 2025
2. World Cup 2025 Delivers Wild Round 2
3. Why the World Cup Feels Like the Most Democratic Event in Chess