So, Niemann, Nepomniachtchi, and Nihal eradicated • lichess.org

November 8, 2025

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Match Info

The FIDE World Cup is without doubt one of the most prestigious occasions of the chess calendar each two years. It’s the largest knockout event and awards three Candidates spots to the primary three finishers. 206 gamers are enjoying the event, with every spherical solely rising in depth. The time management is 90+30 for the primary 40 strikes, with an additional half-hour after transfer 40. Matches are performed in units of two: first, a classical portion of two video games. If the outcome stays tied, the gamers play 15+10 video games, then, if nonetheless tied, 10+10 video games, then 5+3, then 3+2, and at last, if nonetheless tied, a deciding Armageddon recreation.

Watch and replay all of the video games in our broadcast.

Pairings for Spherical 3

The pairings for spherical 3 can be found right here.

Overview

The highest 50 seeds had been mechanically certified for spherical 2 and a few very stunning outcomes came about. GM Wesley So (fifth seed), GM Hans Moke Niemann (tenth seed), GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (twelfth seed) and GM Nihal Sarin (twenty second seed) had been all eradicated by GM Titas Stremavičius (133rd seed), GM Lorenzo Lodici (119th seed), GM Diptayan Ghosh (117th seed), and GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis (107th seed), respectively. GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa was taken deep into tiebreaks by the Australian GM Temur Kuybokarov and the Argentinian prodigy IM Faustino Oro was solely eradicated towards GM Vidit Gujrathi within the fast tiebreaks, because of a blunder in extreme time hassle.

Interviews

Be sure to take a look at all of our interviews from the World Cup on our YouTube channel!

GM Anish Giri:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or-CTYnWSFs

GM Vincent Keymer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQWdGY3gfBc

Classical Upsets

GM Wesley So, the fifth seed, ought to have had a reasonably straightforward match forward of him towards the 133rd seed, Lithuanian GM Titas Stremavičius, rated over 200 factors decrease than So.

Whereas So missed his profitable probabilities within the first recreation with White, it was now Stremavičius’ flip to start out with the white items within the second recreation. He selected the much less frequent 7. h3 within the QGD: Three Knights Variation. 4 strikes later, the identical pawn on h3 now supported White’s push to g4, attacking Black’s bishop and demonstrating the underdog’s dedication to dynamic play, slightly than happening within the doubtlessly following tiebreaks towards the American velocity chess specialist.

https://lichess.org/examine/g62M1Tov/chbnstjh#21

Ready that was changing into increasingly more uncomfortable for Black, dealing with White’s highly effective bishop pair, So will need to have miscalculated the sequence of trades after 21…Rfe8 – or just ignored it.

https://lichess.org/examine/g62M1Tov/chbnstjh#42

In the long run, the clear favorite So was a bit for 2 pawns down with none compensation and was on his option to being eradicated in his first match of the FIDE World Cup 2025. However with 51. Bb5, Stremavičius allowed So to commerce queens and head right into a drawn endgame, which simply 7 strikes later changed into a profitable endgame for White once more after 58…h3.

One of the talked about and heartbreaking moments of the event to this point ought to observe: In a theoretically received endgame for White, that appeared solely a matter of time for Stremavičius to transform, he performed 70. a4 and out of the blue the place was drawn once more. Sadly for So – already very low on time – he did not see the surprising and hard-to-find continuation, and resigned after 72. Ke3 – in a nonetheless drawn place! Stremavičius advances to Spherical 3 and So, one of many favourites to win the event, is eradicated.

https://lichess.org/examine/g62M1Tov/chbnstjh#143

The stalemate place that So would have wanted to see for the drawn continuation. Black to maneuver (or not transfer, on this case):

https://lichess.org/examine/tUDRVA8E/BHqQFDlq#1

Credit score: Michal Walusza / FIDE

One other main upset occurred within the match between the twelfth seed, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, and the 119th seed, GM Diptayan Ghosh. Neither participant appeared very desperate to struggle within the first recreation, which led to a uninteresting draw after 30 strikes.

Nepomniachtchi began the second recreation with 1. e4, persevering with with the Anti-Marshall variation of the Ruy Lopez, however discovered himself in a really passive place after 17. Nd2.

https://lichess.org/examine/g62M1Tov/BFvNfIoh#33

With none good choices accessible, Nepomniachtchi gave up a pawn, and after buying and selling queens on transfer 26, he was now doomed to go into a foul endgame; a pawn down with a horrible construction that could possibly be simply exploited.

https://lichess.org/examine/g62M1Tov/BFvNfIoh#52

There was no means for Nepomniachtchi to search out counter-play from this place and equalize. With Ghosh enjoying solidly and displaying no nerves towards the two-time world championship challenger, Nepomniachtchi finally resigned – nonetheless a pawn down within the rook endgame, whereas Black was going to invade the second rank on the subsequent transfer to assault White’s c2-pawn, having the choice and loads of time to additionally go for the g4-pawn.

https://lichess.org/examine/g62M1Tov/BFvNfIoh#92

Watch our interview with GM Diptayan Ghosh:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejti_qyNCKI

One other upset tremendous grandmaster was GM Aravindh Chithambaram. The winner of this 12 months’s Prague Chess Competition and the Stepan Avagyan Memorial performed towards compatriot GM Karthik Venkataraman. They drew their first recreation and Karthik, enjoying as Black within the second recreation, was capable of get right into a same-colored bishop endgame with a pawn up. Aravindh resigned and Karthik received the match.

Tiebreak Upsets

GM Hans Moke Niemann needed to face the previous Italian chess champion GM Lorenzo Lodici. Lodici had a slight benefit within the first classical recreation, however removed from a profitable edge, and the sport led to a draw after 43 strikes. The second recreation was much more equal and the gamers shared the factors after 39 strikes. The match went to the tiebreaks.

Lodici was capable of get a really snug begin out of the opening within the first fast tiebreak recreation. Niemann worsened his place with 25…Qg6 and was in a battle to attract the sport.

https://lichess.org/examine/5xGjteDw/IFDVwQqk#50

The Italian grandmaster performed flawlessly till 45. Bc7, which might have given Niemann hope to get again into the sport. With each gamers being low on time, errors had been made on either side now. The analysis bar went up and down after 46…Be6, 48. h3, 50…Ke6, 53. Ke3, 53… Rh8. However Lodici nonetheless at all times held onto a bonus – till he performed 65. Bd4, adopted by 66. Rxc8.

https://lichess.org/examine/5xGjteDw/IFDVwQqk#131

The place was now theoretically drawn, as White would not have the ability to promote both pawn. However Niemann blundered with 72…Rg1, as an alternative of 72…Rg2 or 72…Rg3, which allowed Lodici to activate his bishop after pushing the f-pawn and to guard the g1-square, taking away Black’s essential defensive examine on the g-file.

https://lichess.org/examine/5xGjteDw/IFDVwQqk#144

Niemann resigned on transfer 77 and Lodici now solely wanted a draw within the subsequent recreation to advance to spherical 3.

The one actual profitable likelihood for Niemann within the second fast tiebreak recreation was after 39…Rc8.

https://lichess.org/examine/rxplAu0E/bLZDCV1f#78

However, as an alternative of the most effective continuation, 40. Rd8, Niemann – considering for half a minute – determined to play 40. gxh5. The next trades of bishop and rook resulted in a drawn rook vs pawn endgame, that Lodici knew tips on how to maintain. Lodici eliminates Niemann and can face GM Michael Adams within the subsequent spherical.

Watch our interview with GM Lorenzo Lodici:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCTLCnXh3hg

GM Nihal Sarin and GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis drew each of their classical video games earlier than heading to the tiebreaks.

Within the first tiebreak recreation, Kourkoulos-Arditis had a urgent benefit out of the opening, with Nihal attempting to defend the advancing queen-side assault.

https://lichess.org/examine/5xGjteDw/nW7YTy5N#34

By some means, the Indian grandmaster managed to get out of the difficulty by giving up an change and strolling his king over to the opposite facet of the board: 15 strikes later, the place was equal once more and each gamers had their probabilities. However the place was removed from straightforward to play and some sub-optimal strikes by Nihal, together with a commerce of queens, meant that Kourkoulos-Arditis regained the higher hand. Nihal lacked the assets to defend towards White’s materials benefit and Kourkoulos-Arditis might even afford to overlook a mate-in-4 on transfer 55 to win the sport.

https://lichess.org/examine/5xGjteDw/nW7YTy5N#110

Within the second tiebreak recreation, Nihal was a bit for 2 pawns up, however could not convert this benefit right into a win and the sport led to a draw. Kourkoulos-Arditis defeats Nihal.

Watch our interview with GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMSVKWbjwyk

Close to-Upsets

Another high seeds additionally gave the impression to be in hassle, notably the third seed and one of many residence favourites, GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa who was taken deep into tiebreaks by the Australian GM Temur Kuybokarov, the 131st seed.

The seventeenth seed, GM Yu Yangyi, struggled with the 145th seed, GM Felix Blohberger, who confirmed nice defence and psychological resilience. Blohberger received the primary tiebreak recreation, however was defeated after 5 extra tiebreak video games.

Equally, whereas the Argentinian prodigy, IM Faustino Oro, was eradicated by GM Vidit Gujrathi, this was solely after two strong attracts within the classical portion and really equal trying play within the fast tiebreaks, till a blunder from Oro in extreme time hassle. This was Oro’s highest rated opponent in his profession to this point – nice tenacity from the 12-year-old!

Watch our interview with GM Vidit Gujrathi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qerZMWhTg-Q

Honorable Mentions

The spotlight of the spherical – and probably even the event – has to go to GM Pentala Harikrishna‘s second recreation towards GM Arseniy Nesterov, with a shocking queen sacrifice within the Petrov Defence. Harikrishna mentioned he had sat on his preparation and his line, initially coming from a 1987 correspondence recreation, for 9 years earlier than enjoying it right here. With no quick compensation for his sacrificed queen, Harikrishna relentlessly attacked Black’s king, coordinating all of his minor items towards Black’s queen – even giving up an change sacrifice to take away Black’s outpost knight – earlier than having a number of mating strains towards Black’s king. Is that this Hari’s immortal?

https://lichess.org/examine/g62M1Tov/pDmreEKu#15

Watch our interview with GM Pentala Harikrishna:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUMtqPtntDA

GM Wei Yi additionally performed a good looking recreation towards the six-time world chess fixing champion GM Kacper Piorun with a stunning 18. Bf7+. The fantastic thing about the concept is that taking with the queen drops two items of fabric – at this stage, an absolute loss. Equally, the opposite possibility of taking with the king will enable the queen to develop into pinned to the king. A fully lovely transfer which gave Wei Yi the win.

https://lichess.org/examine/TxNRmm3q/nPjArQBf#35

Watch our interview with GM Wei Yi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3_TEFPMKhA

GM Rasmus Svane confronted GM Rauf Mamedov and the match ended with the primary Armageddon recreation of this 12 months’s World Cup, which Svane was capable of win.

https://lichess.org/examine/cE1U5SKh/26hhoasN#0