Panaji, Nov. 19 -- India's run in the FIDE World Cup 2025 came to an end today as Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi bowed out in the quarterfinals against China's GM Wei Yi in a tense tiebreak here.
Arjun, the sole Indian contender at this stage, drew both classical games, setting the stage for a high-stakes rapid tiebreak. In the first tiebreak game, playing Black with the French Defence, Arjun faced difficulties in the middle game. However, Wei Yi's cautious 27th move allowed the Indian Grandmaster to fight back, and the game ended in a 66-move draw.
In the second tiebreak game with White, Arjun needed to break Wei's Petrov Defence to stay alive. Wei gradually seized the initiative and, by the 28th move, had gained a winning advantage. Despite...