World Cup 2025 Round 4: Levon Aronian Dominates, Praggnanandhaa Survives Scare

Aronian crushes Wojtaszek while India's Praggnanandhaa escapes after missing huge chances against Dubov in dramatic Round 4 opening at FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa.

Round 4 Results: November 11, 2025

The FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa, India entered its fourth round on November 11 with just 16 matches remaining. The tournament, which determines three spots in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, saw drama, brilliance, and narrow escapes as the field of 206 players has been whittled down to 32.

Key Results from Game 1:

1. GM Levon Aronian defeats GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek
2. GM Jose Martinez defeats GM Alexey Sarana
3. 🟰 14 draws, including several dramatic escapes

The second classical game of Round 4 takes place on November 12, with tiebreaks scheduled for November 13 if needed.

Aronian's Masterclass: "Trying All Stupid Ideas"

The Victory

Two-time World Cup winner Levon Aronian showed why he remains one of chess's most dangerous players, defeating Polish GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek with a smooth positional squeeze.

The game featured Aronian's trademark creativity from the opening, where he played the unusual move a3, what he himself called one of the "stupid ideas" you try when "regular ideas lead to a draw."

Aronian explained his approach: "You want to try all stupid ideas because regular ideas lead to a draw!"

The "stupid idea" worked brilliantly.

The Position

Aronian won a pawn and Wojtaszek's compensation evaporated. What followed was what Aronian modestly described to IM Rakesh Kulkarni as an endgame that "doesn't have too much joy in it for Black", a massive understatement.

The Polish grandmaster was tormented throughout, not just by the position but reportedly by Aronian's shirt as well, according to tournament observers.

Wojtaszek couldn't create any counterplay, and Aronian converted with the precision expected from a former world number-two player.

Final result: Aronian leads 1-0 heading into Game 2.

Martinez Continues Stunning Run

Third Consecutive Victory

Peru-born Mexican GM Jose Martinez extended his remarkable World Cup run with his third straight win, this time with the black pieces against Russian GM Alexey Sarana.

Martinez's Round 3-4 performance:

1. Defeated world #12 Nodirbek Abdusattorov 2-0 in Round 3
2. Won Game 1 against Sarana in Round 4 with Black

Martinez was the only player besides Aronian to score a victory on November 11, making him one of just two decisive results in 16 matches.

His elimination of Abdusattorov, a player rated over 2700 and considered a rising superstar — announced Martinez as a serious dark horse candidate for Candidates qualification.

Current status: Martinez leads 1-0 and is one win away from the quarterfinals.

Praggnanandhaa's Narrow Escape

The Crisis

Indian GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, seeded third in the tournament and runner-up in the 2023 World Cup, found himself in serious danger against Russian GM Daniil Dubov.

Praggnanandhaa has been living dangerously throughout this World Cup, repeatedly finding himself in trouble before escaping. Round 4 was his closest call yet.

Dubov's Chances

The famously inventive Dubov, Magnus Carlsen's former second, outplayed Praggnanandhaa in the opening and seized a significant advantage with the black pieces.

On move 39, Dubov had a huge opportunity to punish the Indian star and take a commanding 1-0 lead in the match.

He missed it.

The Escape

The position was stunningly complex, with both players navigating tactical landmines. When Dubov failed to find the critical continuation, Praggnanandhaa survived to reach a draw.

Final result: 0.5-0.5, match tied heading into Game 2.

For Praggnanandhaa, it was another life saved. But how many more escapes can he engineer before his luck runs out?

Other Notable Results

Arjun Erigaisi Holds Solid

World #4 and India's highest-rated player, Arjun Erigaisi drew smoothly with legendary Hungarian GM Peter Leko.

Erigaisi raced back to the board to shake hands on the draw, a moment captured by chess24 cameras showing the mutual respect between the young star and the veteran.

Match status: 0.5-0.5

Keymer vs. Esipenko: Repetition Draw

German #1 Vincent Keymer made a quick draw by repetition against Russian GM Andrey Esipenko.

Esipenko could have played on in a complex position but opted for the safe route, keeping the match level heading into Game 2.

Match status: 0.5-0.5

Sargissian's Defensive Masterclass

Armenian GM Gabriel Sargissian defended tenaciously for 110 moves to hold American prodigy Awonder Liang to a draw.

110 moves. Over five hours at the board. Sargissian's resilience kept his World Cup hopes alive.

Match status: 0.5-0.5

The Draw Fest

Of the 16 matches, 14 ended in draws. Most were solid with few real chances, as players at this level of the World Cup become increasingly risk-averse.

The stakes are enormous: win four more matches and you're in the Candidates Tournament 2026, one step from challenging for the World Championship.

That kind of pressure makes players cautious. Wins like Aronian's and Martinez's become even more impressive.

Tournament Context: The Road to Candidates 2026

What's at Stake

The FIDE World Cup 2025 takes place from October 31 to November 27 in Goa, India.

Prize fund: $2,000,000

Format: 206-player single-elimination knockout

Candidates spots: Top 3 finishers qualify for Candidates 2026

The Candidates Tournament determines who challenges World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju for the title in late 2026.

The Format

Each match consists of:

1. Two classical games (90 min/40 moves + 30 min + 30 sec increment)
2. Rapid tiebreaks if tied (2 games at 15+10)
3. Blitz tiebreaks if still tied (2 games at 10+10, then 5+3, then 3+2)
4. Armageddon if still tied (White gets 4 min, Black bids for time, Black wins on draw)

This brutal format means one bad day eliminates you, regardless of rating or reputation — as World Champion Gukesh learned in Round 3.

The Carnage So Far

Big Names Already Eliminated

The World Cup has been merciless to favorites:

Round 3 eliminations:

1. Gukesh Dommaraju (World Champion) - eliminated by Frederik Svane
2. Anish Giri (2769, Candidates-qualified) - eliminated by Alexander Donchenko
3. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2700+) - eliminated by Jose Martinez
4. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2700+) - eliminated by Nils Grandelius

Earlier eliminations:

1. Hans Niemann - eliminated in tiebreaks
2. Faustino Oro (12-year-old prodigy) - eliminated by Vidit Gujrathi
3. Ian Nepomniachtchi - complained about conditions after elimination

Half of the top-20 seeds have been eliminated. Only two players rated below 2580 remain in Round 4.

The World Cup is living up to its reputation as the most unpredictable tournament in chess.

German Chess Thriving

Four Germans in Round 4

Germany is having an exceptional World Cup, with four Germans advancing to Round 4 without tiebreaks:

1. Vincent Keymer (Germany #1)
2. Matthias Bluebaum (Germany #2, Candidates-qualified)
3. Alexander Donchenko (Germany #3, eliminated Giri)
4. Frederik Svane (Germany #4, eliminated Gukesh)

This is Germany's best World Cup performance in years, showcasing the depth of their chess talent beyond just Keymer.

Bluebaum is already qualified for Candidates 2026 through his Grand Swiss runner-up finish, but the other three are fighting for their shot at joining him.

Round 4 Schedule

Game 1 (November 11): Complete

Game 2 (November 12): 4:30 AM ET / 10:30 CET / 3:00 PM IST

Tiebreaks (if needed, November 13): 4:30 AM ET / 10:30 CET / 3:00 PM IST

Matches to Watch in Game 2:

Aronian vs. Wojtaszek (0-1)

1. Can Wojtaszek save the match or will Aronian advance?

Martinez vs. Sarana (0-1)

1. Martinez one win from quarterfinals, but Sarana will fight

Praggnanandhaa vs. Dubov (0.5-0.5)

1. Pragga must be sharper or Dubov will punish him

Arjun Erigaisi vs. Peter Leko (0.5-0.5)

1. India's hopes rest heavily on Arjun's shoulders

Keymer vs. Esipenko (0.5-0.5)

1. Can Germany's #1 take the lead?

Where to Watch

Live coverage:

1. FIDE YouTube Channel (commentary by GMs Evgenij Miroshnichenko and Jan Gustafsson)

Analysis:

1. Post-game analysis by GM Rafael Leitao
2. Live commentary from chess24 with Anna Rudolf, David Howell, and others

The Bigger Picture

With just 16 matches remaining and three Candidates spots available, every game matters enormously.

Current storylines:

1. Can Praggnanandhaa survive his continued escapes and reach the Candidates?
2. Will Martinez's Cinderella run continue?
3. Can Germany place multiple players in the quarterfinals?
4. Who emerges as the favorite with Gukesh, Giri, and Abdusattorov gone?

The next two days will eliminate eight more players. By November 13, only eight will remain fighting for three Candidates spots.

The pressure is immense. The chess is brutal. The stakes couldn't be higher.

Welcome to the FIDE World Cup 2025.

Follow ChessTV.com for daily World Cup coverage, analysis, and breaking chess news.

♟️ 🇮🇳 🏆

More to explore:

1. Hikaru Nakamura Qualifies for 2026 Candidates Tournament: The Unconventional Road to Cyprus
2. Diptayan Ghosh Eliminates Nepomniachtchi, Leaving No Russians in the Candidates
3. Wesley So Resigns in a Dead Draw: A Shocking Turn in Round 2