NT Reporter | Arpora
India’s GM R Praggnanandhaa survived a tense encounter against GM Daniil Dubov, while compatriots Arjun Erigaisi, Karthik Venkataraman, and P Harikrishna secured solid draws with black pieces in the first game of Round 4 at the FIDE World Cup 2025 at Arpora on Tuesday.
Second seed Arjun Erigaisi held Hungarian veteran Peter Leko to a 20-move draw after surprising him in the opening. Harikrishna neutralised Nils Grandelius in 32 moves, while Karthik shared the point with Vietnam’s Le Quang Liem after 36 moves. Praggnanandhaa misjudged a pawn push on move 14 but escaped after Dubov missed a winning continuation, the game ending in 41 moves.
Elsewhere, two-time champion Levon Aronian defeated Radoslaw Wojtaszek in 37 moves, and Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara overcame Alexey Sarana in 39 moves.