R Praggnanandhaa found himself clubbed with Magnus Carlsen in the same group, while Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi were bunched together in the other pool
India hosts the event from a position of unprecedented strength with a string of titles under its belt.
The trophy was unveiled during a colourful opening ceremony which was attended by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and FIDE chief Arkady Dvorkovich.
Looking to assert his supremacy across formats, reigning world champion D Gukesh of India began his campaign in the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with a crushing victory over France's Etienne Bacrot in the first round.
Grandmaster R Vaishali was so crestfallen following seven straight losses in the Chennai Grandmasters that she had made up her mind to pull out of the Grand Swiss tournament, but family support steered her to the event where she won the title to qualify for the Candidates next year.
The FIDE World Cup 2025 is coming to Goa from October 30 to November 27, 2025!
Vaishali knew she had to win to remain in contention and her approach right from the start was in sync with the requirement of the tournament situation.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin's hopes of making to the Candidates tournament suffered a setback as he lost to Alireza Firouzja of France in the ninth round of the FIDE Grand Swiss, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Saturday.
Women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh, who has also qualified for the Women's Candidates, has opted out of the women's section to compete with the best in business.
World champion D Gukesh was held to a draw by the lone wild card Samuel Sevian, while fellow Indian R Praggnanandhaa also split the point with Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
'Last year, I messed up some good positions against him, I think I did not beat him (in classical) for almost two years now, so finally it's good to get a win.'
D Gukesh put his opening-round blues behind him and scored an excellent victory over former world rapid champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan in the second round of the Sinquefield Cup.
'It was 2 am, my parents were asleep. I woke my dad up and said: 'I won'.' 'He said, 'Good' and then went back to sleep because he had to go to office the next day.'
World champion D Gukesh's struggles continued as he slumped to a third successive defeat, losing to 16-year-old Turkish Grandmaster Ediz Gurel in the seventh round of the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Thursday.
Praggnanandhaa wins UzChess Cup Masters, becomes top-ranked Indian and World No.4
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa took down World No 1 Magnus Carlsen to advance to the top-bracket quarter-finals along with Arjun Erigaisi at the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour.
Carlsen to fight for third place after wins over Arjun and Praggnanandhaa
Chennai's Velammal Vidyalaya, the alma mater of the youngest reigning World champion D Gukesh and Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, won the gold medal at the World Schools Team Chess Championship in Virginia, United States.
World Junior champion Pranav Venkatesh scored a crushing victory over Grandmaster Alan Pichot of Spain to win the Fujairah Global Superstars chess tournament.
Defending champion and Grandmaster R Vaishali jumped into sole lead in the women's section
Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa finished in sixth and seventh position respectively, even as Grandmaster Levon Aronian of the United States reigned supreme in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.
Neither current World Champion D Gukesh nor former world champion Vishy Anand are the top rated Indian chess player.
World champion GM D Gukesh finished tied sixth as Levon Aronian of USA convincingly won the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz that concluded in St Louis.
The difference in rating does not count much but going by form and records, India's numero uno player R Praggnanandhaa will start as one of the favourites in the third edition of Grand Chess Tour rapid and blitz tournament in Zagreb, Croatia, starting on Wednesday.
Praggnanandhaa on Sunday attributed the change in fortune to increased confidence and ambition
Months after a dress-code controversy involving five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced a new dress code for the FIDE Grand Swiss and FIDE Women's Grand Swiss.
Praggnanandhaa beats Abdusattorov in Superbet chess
Grand Chess Tour: Gukesh in joint lead with Carlsen and Wesley So after day one
Grandmaster Nihal Sarin played out a quick and effortless draw with Matthias Bluebaum of Germany to share the lead with the German on six points after the end of the eighth round of FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Friday.
Grand Chess tour: Magnus wins Super United Rapid and blitz with a round to spare
'If Alex wanted to come back and play for us, the players would welcome him. 100% I want to see him back in a Newcastle shirt.'
Praggnanandhaa takes on a strong field at Grand Swiss, eyes Candidates berth
The FIDE World Cup for chess will be held between October 30 and November 27, 2025.
Superbet Classic: Praggnanandhaa in joint lead with three others
While only one place seems assured for the Indians in the men's section, there are already three in the women's category who have made it to the Candidates.
In a decision that is likely to have an impact on several state chess associations affiliated with the All India Chess Federation, the AICF's ethics commission has ordered that Bharat Singh Chauhan cannot be recognised as, or continue as, president of the Delhi Chess Association.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa bounced back from a poor start in the rapid section to climb to second place in the overall standings at the end of the first half of the blitz section in the Superbet Rapid & Blitz tournament.
World Champion D Gukesh suffered his second straight defeat at the FIDE Grand Swiss, losing to Greece's Nikolas Theodorou in the sixth round in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
India's global chess domination was lauded by President Droupadi Murmu in her address to the nation on Thursday
American Abhimanyu Mishra, 16, became the youngest-ever player in the history of chess to beat a reigning World Champion in the classical format.
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