Indian Dominance in Round 3

Round of the FIDE World Cup 2025 was all about dominance and historic milestones. Arjun Erigaisi and P. Harikrishna scored emphatic wins with white, while India’s brightest stars held strong with black, setting the stage for decisive battles tomorrow. The biggest storyline? A record-breaking 10 Indians have now reached Round 3, all in the Open section.

CRUSHING WINS:

Arjun Erigaisi demolished Uzbekistan's Shamsiddin Vokhidov in just 30 moves with white, extending his unbeaten run to three consecutive wins. Arjun took his time in a winning position to calculate the cleanest finish and converted confidently.

P Harikrishna became the first player to post a win in Round 3, defeating Belgium's Daniel Dardha in just 25 moves using fresh preparation in the Sicilian Classical. He said: "My opponent didn't realize the danger in time, and a few tactical tricks worked perfectly."

SOLID DRAWS WITH BLACK:

World Champion Gukesh D held Germany's Frederik Svane, R Praggnanandhaa drew against Armenia's Robert Hovhannisyan, and Vidit Gujrathi split the point with American Sam Shankland. All three will have white pieces in Game 2 tomorrow to push for wins.

10 INDIANS IN ROUND 3:

A total of 10 Indians have made it to the third round of the FIDE World Cup 2025, making this a historic showing for Indian chess.

HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT: 10 Indians in Round 3

2025 vs 2023 Comparison:

2025 (Current Tournament):

1. 10 Indians in Round 3 - A RECORD
2. All in the Open section
3. Players: Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Pragg, Vidit, Harikrishna, S L Narayanan, Pranav V, Pranesh M, Diptayan Ghosh, Karthik Venkataraman

2023 (Last Edition): Only 8 Indians made it to Round 3 - 4 in the Open section (Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin, S L Narayanan) and 4 in the Women's section (Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali R, Divya Deshmukh).

What This Means:

25% Growth - From 8 to 10 players in just two years

New Blood - The 2025 contingent includes breakthrough stars like:

1. Pranav V - World Junior Champion
2. Pranesh M - Rising talent now facing Vincent Keymer
3. Diptayan Ghosh - Giant-killer who eliminated Nepomniachtchi

All Open Section - In 2023, India needed the Women's World Cup to reach 8. In 2025, all 10 are competing in the Open tournament, showing unprecedented depth.

Multi-Generational - From 39-year-old Harikrishna (winning in 25 moves!) to young guns, India has strength at every level.

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