Giri: Upsets in Chess World Cup Not Rare, Ratings Still Relevant
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In a stunning turn of events, Javokhir Sindarov and Divya Deshmukh made history at the 2025 Chess World Cup. Sindarov became the youngest open category winner, while Deshmukh claimed the first Indian Women's World Cup title and is now the youngest-ever women's World Cup champion. Their victories, which came despite not being among the top 14 seeds, have sparked debate about the tournament's format and the likelihood of upsets. Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri weighed in on the matter, suggesting that the format allows for unexpected results. Giri pointed out that the 15th and 16th seeds are not middle-of-the-pack players, but rather strong favorites. Sindarov, he said, was an elite player who wasn't a surprise, and Deshmukh was among the favorites, but not the top contender. Giri believes that the gap between top players is smaller than ever, and ratings are still a good indicator of a player's strength. However, he argues that a two-game match is not enough to determine a player's true abilities. According to Giri, if the World Cup were to be played 1,000 times, Sindarov and Praggnanandhaa would likely win multiple times, but the outcome of a single match is inherently unpredictable. Despite the upsets, Giri remains optimistic, saying that the great players ultimately emerge victorious.
