Diptayan Ghosh Stuns Nepomniachtchi in FIDE World Cup’s Biggest Upset
Indian GM crushes Russian in epic upset.
Diptayan Ghosh stunned the FIDE World Cup 2025 Wednesday in Goa, toppling former world championship challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi 1.5-0.5 in a lopsided Round 2 clash that ranks as the tournament’s greatest upset. The 27-year-old Kolkata GM, rated 2573 against Nepo’s 2732, drew the first game with white, then seized control with black when the erratic Russian missed a simple middlegame tactic, losing a pawn. Ghosh pressed relentlessly, exchanging pieces at optimal moments to reach a winning rook-and-pawn endgame, forcing resignation on move 47. “This is the biggest victory of my chess career, beating Nepo in a match,” Ghosh declared, his debut World Cup now etched in history.
P Harikrishna became India’s first to reach Round 3, demolishing Arseniy Nesterov 1.5-0.5 with a queen sacrifice on move eight—a line prepared years ago—turning chaos into a crushing attack. Arjun Erigaisi, India’s top seed at 2764, swept Martin Petrov 2-0, maintaining opening control as his opponent burned time seeking complications, then converting a pawn-up endgame in 48 moves. World champion D Gukesh advanced 1.5-0.5 over Nogerbek Kazybek, drawing first and grinding a 59-move black win through slow, suffocating pressure. R Praggnanandhaa drew twice with Temur Kuybokarov, pushing to tiebreaks after a 46-move Pirc Defense duel.
V Pranav, world junior champion, blew a first-game black win against Aryan Tari, collapsing in the second to force tiebreaks. Veterans Surya Shekhar Ganguly and Aronyak Ghosh exited 0.5-1.5 to Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Levon Aronian, unable to convert fighting draws into results. India now boasts four in Round 3 and three in tiebreaks, showcasing depth. Nepomniachtchi, co-blitz world champion, left without comment.
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Ghosh’s demolition of a Candidates finalist electrifies the $2 million knockout honoring Viswanathan Anand. From underdog brilliance to Gukesh’s grind, Indian chess asserts global dominance. Tiebreaks await; the board is ablaze.As 64 players remain, India’s surge signals a new era. Ghosh’s roar reverberates worldwide.
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