Gabriel Sargissian Opens the 2025 FIDE World Cup with a Victory

Armenian chess players have made a strong start at the 2025 FIDE World Cup. In the first round of the tournament, Grandmaster Gabriel Sargissian scored a confident victory with the white pieces against Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage, an International Master from Sri Lanka.

This win allowed Sargissian to take a solid step toward advancing to the second round of the prestigious competition.

Other Armenian representatives also began their campaigns in the first round:

• Karen Grigoryan, playing black, drew his game against Egyptian Grandmaster Ahmed Adly.

• Robert Hovhannisyan also finished his game in a draw, playing black against Malaysian Master Mohan Hovini.

• Haik Martirosyan was unable to gain an advantage in his game against Indonesian Master Satria Duta Cahayaa, and that encounter likewise ended in a draw.

Another Armenian player, Grandmaster Shant Sargissian, will join the competition later. Holding the 33rd starting rank, he will begin his run from the second round. According to tournament regulations, the top 50 seeded players start from this stage.

The FIDE World Cup is a knockout tournament consisting of eight rounds. In each match, players contest two classical games. If the score is tied (1–1), the winner is determined in tiebreaks — rapid and blitz games.

Thus, the Armenian chess players have confidently entered the fight for the World Cup, demonstrating consistent play and a determined spirit at the start of this prestigious event.