Erdogmus Pushes Rapport to Tiebreaks at World Cup 2025: Youth vs Experience

The world's youngest GM forces veteran Rapport into rapid chess drama in what became one of the most compelling matches of Round 3.

The FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa delivered another thrilling chapter today as 14-year-old Turkish prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus held his ground against Hungary's Richard Rapport, forcing their Round 3 match into tiebreaks. After two hard-fought classical games ending 1-1, the stage was set for rapid chess fireworks on Sunday, and both players delivered a performance that showcased the beauty of competitive chess across generations.

The Classical Games: A Masterclass in Resilience

Game 1 (November 7): Erdogmus demonstrated maturity far beyond his years, drawing with the Black pieces against Rapport's characteristically dynamic style. The young Turk navigated the complications with precision, neutralizing threats from the 2740-rated Hungarian and proving he wouldn't be intimidated by reputation or rating difference.

Game 2 (November 8): With White pieces and the pressure mounting, Erdogmus again showed his defensive prowess. Unable to convert his nominal first-move advantage into a winning position, he settled for another draw, bringing the classical score to 1-1 and forcing the match into Sunday's rapid tiebreaks.

The classical phase revealed an important truth: in modern chess, youth and preparation can neutralize even the most experienced opposition.

Tiebreak Drama: Rapport Finds His Edge

On November 9, both players returned for the decisive rapid games — two contests at 15+10 time control that would determine who would advance to the Round of 32. The tension was palpable as the rapid phase began.

Rapid Game 1 (15+10): Rapport 1–0

Erdogmus faltered in the first rapid game, making an early inaccuracy that allowed Rapport to seize the initiative. The Hungarian, showing why rapid chess often favors experience over raw talent, converted his advantage with clinical precision. This was the breakthrough Rapport desperately needed after two frustrating draws.

Rapid Game 2 (15+10): Draw — Rapport Wins 1.5–0.5

Facing elimination, Erdogmus needed a full point with the Black pieces — no small task against a player of Rapport's caliber. The teenager defended with remarkable resourcefulness, holding the position and securing a draw. But mathematics is unforgiving in knockout chess: the half-point wasn't enough to level the match. Rapport's 1.5–0.5 victory in the rapid playoff secured his passage to the Round of 32.

Why This Match Captured Hearts

Erdogmus: The Youngest Star in Goa

Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus wasn't just the youngest grandmaster remaining in the World Cup — he was a statement. At just 14 years old, the Turkish prodigy has already proven he belongs among chess's elite. This performance in Goa wasn't his first headline moment; in Round 1, his aggressive, fearless play caught the attention of commentators and fans worldwide. Now, by pushing a super-GM like Rapport to the absolute limit, he's announced his arrival on the global stage.

The rating gap of over 200 points should have made this a straightforward victory for Rapport. Instead, Erdogmus made him work for every half-point, demonstrating that the new generation of chess players isn't intimidated by rankings, experience, or reputation.

Rapport: Fighting for Candidates Glory

For Richard Rapport, this match was about more than pride — it was about survival. Rated 2740 and seeded among the tournament favorites, the Hungarian is fighting to secure one of the three coveted Candidates Tournament spots available through the World Cup. Every round matters, and every game carries enormous pressure.

Losing to a teenage prodigy wasn't part of Rapport's script, but Erdogmus gave him no easy games. Known for his creative, attacking style and unconventional opening choices, Rapport found himself stifled in classical chess, unable to generate the complications that usually favor his style. It was only in rapid, where time pressure amplifies the value of experience, that he finally found the edge he needed.

The Bigger Picture

Turkey's Rising Chess Power

Erdogmus represents more than individual talent — he symbolizes Turkey's surging chess strength on the international stage. His composure against a player twice his age and significantly higher-rated shows that Turkish chess has developed a culture of fearlessness. The country's investment in youth development is clearly paying dividends, and Erdogmus is the most visible proof.

Turkey now has a genuine contender in the younger generation, and if this performance is any indication, Erdogmus will be a name chess fans hear for decades to come.

Rapport's Resilience Under Pressure

While Rapport struggled to break through in classical chess, his ability to regroup and find his form in rapid demonstrates the mental fortitude required at the highest level. The Hungarian's creative style sometimes leads to unpredictable results, but when it matters most, he's shown he can adapt and deliver. His advancement keeps alive his Candidates hopes and confirms his status as one of chess's most dangerous competitors.

Other Tiebreak Thrillers

Erdogmus–Rapport wasn't the only drama unfolding in Goa today. Several other matches also went to tiebreaks, adding to the tournament's intensity:

1. Wei Yi vs Benjamin Gledura
2. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Vladislav Artemiev
3. S. L. Narayanan vs Yu Yangyi

But the youth-versus-experience storyline in Erdogmus–Rapport made it the most compelling narrative of the day — a reminder that in chess, as in life, the torch is always being passed, but never without a fight.

What's Next?

Rapport advances to face his Round of 32 opponent, carrying the weight of expectation and the relief of survival. For Erdogmus, the tournament may be over, but his reputation has been cemented. At 14, he's shown the chess world that age is just a number when you have talent, preparation, and nerves of steel.

The FIDE World Cup 2025 continues to deliver unforgettable moments. Stay tuned to ChessTV.com for complete coverage, analysis, and breaking news from Goa.

More to explore:

1. World Cup 2025 Delivers Wild Round 2
2. Hans Niemann Eliminated in Round 2 of the FIDE World Cup 2025
3. Top Players, Including Gukesh D., Eliminated from the FIDE World Cup 2025