The fervor surrounding Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh has reached unprecedented levels at the FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 in Goa, India. A video circulating on social media shows the reigning World Champion being escorted through a throng of enthusiastic fans by six security guards, who had to lock arms to create a protective barrier around him.

The intense interest in Gukesh has been building since he claimed the World Championship title in December of last year. His presence at the Chess World Cup 2025 has only amplified the excitement, with fans clamoring for a glimpse of the young chess prodigy.

Gukesh himself has expressed his enthusiasm for participating in the World Cup, especially with it being held in India. In a statement to FIDE, he conveyed how much he had missed playing in India, with his last tournament appearance being the Chennai Grandmasters in 2023.

In Round 3 of the FIDE World Cup 2025, D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi settled for draws in the opening game. They will aim to win with the white pieces to secure their passage into the next round. Other Indian Grandmasters, Arjun Erigaisi and P Harikrishna, secured victories in the opening game of Round 3. Erigaisi defeated Uzbekistan's Shamsiddin Vokhidov in 30 moves, and Harikrishna outwitted Belgium's Daniel Dardha in 25 moves.

The Chess World Cup has also seen some major upsets, with notable players like Wesley So, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Vassily Ivanchuk getting eliminated. Diptayan Ghosh achieved a significant victory over Ian Nepomniachtchi. Following his defeat, Nepomniachtchi criticized the playing conditions in Goa.

The FIDE World Cup 2025 includes 206 players from 82 nations, all vying for the Viswanathan Anand Cup. The top three finishers will qualify for the Candidates Tournament 2026, which determines the challenger for the World Chess Championship. Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana have notably chosen not to participate in the tournament.