Panjim, Oct 27 (PTI) International chess federation president Arkady Dvorkovich on Monday called India a “modern powerhouse” in the sport and said the upcoming FIDE World Cup was being organised in Goa because the country had become the “central pillar in the global structure of our sport”.
As many as 206 top chess exponents from 80 countries will be in Goa for the prestigious tournament, scheduled to be held from October 30 to November 27.
The players will battle through a knockout format for a share of the USD 2 million prize fund and, more importantly, the three coveted qualification spots for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament — the gateway to the next World Championship match.
“India is not just the ancient home of chess; it is a global modern powerhouse. This World Cup (in Goa) is being held here because India is now a central pillar in the global structure of our sport.
“For the next four weeks, Goa will not just be a coastal paradise; it will be the Colosseum of Chess. This is where legends are forged and broken, and new champions born – a process that has been dramatically enriched by the incredible new generation of Indian stars,” said Dvorkovich in a statement.
The World Cup will be an eight-round, single-elimination knockout event, where each match consists of two classical games played under standard time controls. If the score is tied after those, the players return on the third day for a series of rapid and blitz tie-breaks to decide who advances.
The top 50 seeds — comprising many of the world’s highest-rated grandmasters — receive byes into the second round, while the remaining 156 competitors begin their campaigns on November 1.
Reigning world champion, India’s D Gukesh, said he was looking forward to the competition.
“I’m really excited to play in the World Cup. Anywhere in India is great of course, but I have some nice memories of Goa as I played some junior events there,” said Gukesh, who is seeded straight into round two, in the FIDE release.
This is the first time since 2002 that the FIDE World Cup is returning to India. On that occasion, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand had defeated Rustam Kasimdzhanov in the two-game final held in Hyderabad.
More than two decades later, India boasts of a young world champion in Gukesh, Olympiad team titles in both the Open and women’s sections, and Divya Deshmukh, the current Women’s World Cup winner and the only female participant in this year’s World Cup.
Besides, several rising stars like Arjun Erigaisi, R. Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin, among others, will also be seen in action.
Gukesh arrives for the World Cup fresh from a 2927 performance at the European Team Championship, where he won gold and played a decisive role in his team’s overall victory. Erigaisi has been one of the most consistent elite players this year and he will be eager to reaffirm his status.
Among the international contenders, Germany’s Vincent Keymer will be a key contender. Ranked world No. 4 on the live rating list, he has gained 18 rating points across the European Club Cup and European Team Championship.
Another clear favourite will be Anish Giri, the recent Samarkand Grand Swiss winner. In superb form and with his Candidates qualification already secured, Giri enters the World Cup high on morale.
“I’m looking forward to playing the World Cup. It’s a great event and a lot of fun. I’ve played a lot of them, and I was actually very near to qualifying once,” he said.
The American duo of Wesley So and Levon Aronian will also be a big threat. So arrives in Goa on the back of a second-place finish at the U.S. Championship.
Levon Aronian, the 2017 World Cup winner, has also enjoyed a good year, amassing multiple titles.
As per the latest FIDE rating list, 22 players are rated 2700 or higher, ensuring that the event features the absolute elite of world chess. PTI AM AM AH AH
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