Overview
- Pentala Harikrishna was eliminated in Round 5 rapid tiebreaks by Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara, ending India’s multi-player challenge in Goa.
- Arjun Erigaisi reached the quarterfinals by defeating two-time champion Levon Aronian, rejecting a draw and converting with Black after 38 moves.
- Quarterfinal pairings include Erigaisi vs Wei Yi, Martinez vs Javokhir Sindarov, Sam Shankland vs Andrey Esipenko, and Alexander Donchenko vs Nodirbek Yakubboev.
- Only two top-10 seeds remain in the event — Erigaisi and Wei Yi — after a run of upsets in the two-game classical knockout format with rapid/blitz deciders.
- The World Cup awards Candidates Tournament places to the top three finishers, making each quarterfinal match a significant step toward 2026 qualification.