Welcome to Day 2 of the Esports World Cup 2025 - and it's elimination time! Today’s matches are all about survival, and we’re starting with a nail-biter: Nihal Sarin takes on Anish Giri in an elimination showdown!
Nihal, the young bulletproof prodigy, is known for his calm nerves and rapid instincts. Giri, the ever-prepared grandmaster with a razor-sharp sense of strategy, brings experience and control. It’s youth vs wisdom, instinct vs preparation - and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
It’s a 10+0 time control, two games only. If it’s tied, we head to Armageddon. One advances. One is eliminated.
Get ready - this one’s going to be electric! ⚡
Nihal opens the game with a surprising and unconventional approach, steering the battle into less-explored territory right from the start.
Both players have castled and secured their kings - early safety on the board as the real battle begins to unfold.
Giri expands on the kingside, pushing his pawns forward to claim space and initiate pressure.
With this bold move, Nihal declines the repetition and signals his fighting spirit - he’s not here to split the point, he’s here to win!
The position remains finely poised - Giri carries a slight structural weakness with his isolated central pawn, but compensates with the bishop pair. Both sides are gearing up for a deep positional battle!
Nihal steers the game into an endgame where he holds a clear edge - better structure and all the momentum. Giri’s in a tough spot now... can he hold the fort, or is this slipping away?
Nihal misses a powerful opportunity - he could’ve challenged Giri’s bishop, indirectly targeting the vulnerable f-pawn. A bishop trade would have tilted the endgame heavily in Nihal’s favor.
Despite being a pawn down, Giri is holding firm, his solid technique keeps the endgame balanced for now.
A costly slip by Giri - his bishop now finds itself with severely limited mobility. Nihal will be looking to squeeze every ounce of this advantage. This could be the turning point!
Nihal Sarin delivers a masterclass in Game 1, outplaying Giri with composed precision and deep prep.
From the opening to the endgame, he looked in control and now he’s one step away from knocking out the Dutch superstar. All eyes on Giri in Game 2... can he find a way back, or is this the end of the road?