It took three days, two classical games, four rapid games, and two blitz tiebreaks, but Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa narrowly escaped elimination at the FIDE Chess World Cup 2024 in Goa. Facing Uzbek-Australian Grandmaster Temur Kuybokarov, the 19-year-old Indian prodigy was pushed to his absolute limits before finally sealing victory in the blitz round.
Meanwhile, Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi advanced to the next round after overcoming 12-year-old Argentine sensation Faustino Oro, widely hailed as the “Messi of Chess.”
Praggnanandhaa’s Gruelling Battle Against Kuybokarov
Praggnanandhaa, who rose to global fame after reaching the 2023 World Cup final against Magnus Carlsen, began his 2024 campaign as one of the tournament favourites. But his opening round turned into a marathon.
After two classical draws, Kuybokarov took command in the first 15+10 rapid game, allowing Praggnanandhaa no attacking chances. In the second rapid game, the Australian-Uzbek grandmaster came within inches of a major upset, building a +5 advantage — a position that would have ended Pragg’s run.
However, in a dramatic twist, Kuybokarov blundered with a misplaced knight move to f7, allowing Pragg to escape with a perpetual check draw.
In the 10+10 rapid tiebreaks, Kuybokarov again seized the lead after capitalizing on a one-move blunder from Pragg. But under immense pressure, Praggnanandhaa bounced back in the must-win game, punishing Kuybokarov’s over-aggression and leveling the match.
The contest then moved into the 5+3 blitz games, where Praggnanandhaa’s speed and precision finally shone through. The Chennai-based prodigy won both blitz games convincingly, sealing a 5.0–3.0 victory and a place in the third round.
Vidit Gujrathi Edges Out Argentine Wonderkid Faustino Oro
Another tense encounter unfolded as Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi took on 12-year-old Faustino Oro, the youngest player in the tournament’s history.
Despite his age, Oro showed remarkable composure, matching Vidit’s accuracy and pace across both classical and rapid rounds. In fact, the first rapid game saw both players perform with over 99% accuracy — a testament to Oro’s extraordinary tactical maturity.
Vidit eventually broke through in the second rapid game, where the young Argentine faltered under time pressure after holding strong for most of the match. The Indian grandmaster closed the tie 2.5–1.5, moving on to Round 3.
Speaking after his win, Vidit said with a laugh,
“If you put it that way — beating a 12-year-old — I don’t know what I can answer! But yes, it feels good to qualify, especially since it wasn’t easy. He’s a really talented player.”
He further praised Oro’s generation, noting how modern prodigies “grow up with computers and play with incredible depth,” calling the Argentine “a special player with a huge future.”
Mixed Results for Other Indian Players
The second-round tiebreaks brought mixed fortunes for the Indian contingent.
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Pranav V defeated Norway’s Aryan Tari 2.5–1.5.
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S.L. Narayanan overcame Nikita Vitiugov 5.0–3.0 after six consecutive draws.
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Pranesh M dispatched Germany’s Dmitrij Kollars 3–1.
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Meanwhile, Nihal Sarin suffered a shock defeat to Greek GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis, who had earlier eliminated Divya Deshmukh in the opening round.
Other notable outcomes included Idani Pouya (Iran) defeating Karthikeyan Murali 4.5–3.5 and Robert Hovhannisyan (Armenia) beating Raunak Sadhwani 3–1.
On Wednesday, top Indian players D. Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Pentala Harikrishna, Diptayan Ghosh, and Karthik Venkataraman had already secured their passage to the third round.
Round 2 Key Results
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| R. Praggnanandhaa bt Temur Kuybokarov (AUS) | 5.0–3.0 |
| Vidit Gujrathi bt Faustino Oro (ARG) | 2.5–1.5 |
| Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis (GRE) bt Nihal Sarin | 2.5–1.5 |
| Pranav V bt Aryan Tari (NOR) | 2.5–1.5 |
| M. Pranesh bt Dmitrij Kollars (GER) | 3–1 |
| S.L. Narayanan bt Nikita Vitiugov (RUS) | 5.0–3.0 |
| Idani Pouya (IRN) bt Karthikeyan Murali | 4.5–3.5 |
| Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM) bt Raunak Sadhwani | 3–1 |
The Chess World Cup 2024 continues to showcase the depth of India’s new-generation chess talent. While Praggnanandhaa and Vidit survived tense battles to advance, Nihal Sarin’s early exit served as a reminder of the tournament’s unpredictability.
As Round 3 begins, all eyes will be on the Indian contingent — especially Gukesh, Arjun, and Praggnanandhaa — as they aim to keep India’s hopes alive for a World Cup crown.
