Author: Atreyo Mukhopadhyay

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa There was more bad news than good for Indians in the Round 3 tie-breakers of the FIDE World Cup on Sunday. Of the three in fray, Vidit Gujrathi and SL Narayanan crashed out. Karthik Venkataraman was the lone one to progress, making it five from the country in the last 32 of the most prestigious knockout chess tournament. Vidit’s ouster was unexpected and heartbreaking for his family members waiting anxiously outside the playing hall. Quarterfinalist in the last two editions in 2021 and 2023, he won the first tie-break game against Sam Shankland of the USA.…

Not many in India had heard of Frederik Svane. He is a German chess player, as is his brother Rasmus Svane. There are not too many examples of two brothers having secured the Grandmaster title. That’s not how Indian fans will remember the younger of the Svane siblings. The 21-year-old hit global headlines by eliminating D Gukesh from the third round of the FIDE World Cup in progress in Goa. The world champion’s departure will remain a highlight of this knockout event. “It’s unbelievable and unexpected,” Svane told ChessBase India after his landmark win on Saturday. He had no hesitation…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa Jan-Krzysztof Duda is a Polish chess player who won the FIDE World Cup in 2021. He was a part of D Gukesh’s support team during the World Championship last year. The 27-year-old recently announced he is taking time off chess to recharge psychologically. Vasyl Ivanchuk is a former world No. 2. It’s widely regarded that the Ukrainian would have been the No. 1 had his peak not coincided with the reign of Garry Kasparov. The 56-year-old said after losing in Round 2 of the ongoing World Cup that he was emotionally drained. Daniel Dardha is 20.…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa A tsunami of sorts took place in the coast of Goa on Saturday. D Gukesh was eliminated from the FIDE World Cup in the third round. In unquestionably the biggest upset of this edition of the event and in the recent history of the knockout competition, the world champion lost to Frederik Svane of Germany with white pieces. Not in the best of form of late and having drawn two of his three games in the competition, Gukesh was still expected to put it across the player ranked 85th in the world. The Indian is…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa Something called plasma is the fourth state of matter after solid, liquid and gaseous. In chess, a fourth state of official supremacy is on the cards. A new World Championship in addition to the existing ones in the classical, rapid and blitz formats has been announced by FIDE, the world governing body of the game. To be organised in partnership with Norway Chess from 2027, this will combine the existing formats and the winner will be the one who emerges the best after competitions in a faster classical version, rapid and blitz held under one umbrella.…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa It was a mixed day with more good than bad for the Indian stars at the FIDE World Cup. They didn’t suffer upset defeats, but not all of them won either. Among those who drew their first games in Round 3 of the knockout competition were D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi. Arjun Erigaisi and Pentala Harikrishna scored comprehensive wins, which means they need a draw on Saturday to reach the fourth round. Also drawing his game was Diptayan Ghosh. The lesser-known Grandmaster from Kolkata, who caused the shock of the event by eliminating…

By Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa The sun was shining bright and lovely on the beaches of Goa. It was not exactly a sunny day for the Indian players in the second round of the FIDE World Cup, though. Eight of them were involved in tie-breakers to qualify for the third round of the world’s biggest knockout chess competition, and some of the top names crashed out. Nihal Sarin and Raunak Sadhwani were among those, big upsets indeed. On a brighter note, R Praggnanandhaa advanced after a prolonged struggle, and so did Vidit Gujrathi. There were emotional scenes…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa On a day the eyes of the chess world were fixated on the young and happening hipsters of India, a player from the country made heads turn in an unexpected manner. Unknown Kolkata boy Diptayan Ghosh caused the biggest upset of the event so far by beating Russian superstar Ian Nepomniachtchi in the second round of the FIDE World Cup in Goa. This sends the two-time Candidates champion, ranked 19th in the world, home. Advancing to the third round of the world’s most prestigious knockout chess event is the player ranked 237th. It’s undoubtedly the most…

Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa Land of sun, sea, sand and sports. There are four Ss that Goa wants to be known as. From an Indian point of view, Tuesday, November 4, at the FIDE World Cup was about a fifth ‘S’ as well. That’s sorrow. All the top guns barring Arjun Erigaisi were held to draws by opponents rated lower than them in the second round of the prestigious knockout event. The list included world champion D Gukesh. There is a second game to be played on Wednesday. If that doesn’t produce a result, there is an option for a…

By Atreyo Mukhopadhyay in Goa The FIDE World Cup’s second game of the first round is taking place today. There is not a lot of star attraction yet because the top 50 players have got byes into the second round of this knockout competition. It’s still an important day for certain Indian players. Foremost is Divya Deshmukh. The winner of the women’s World Cup lost her first game against Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis of Greece. She has to win to force a tie-breaker. Even if she draws, Divya is out. Divya is rated below her opponent. Both are Grandmasters and the…