Vantika Agrawal (Fide Photo)
Indian International Master (IM) Vantika Agrawal, 23, advanced to the third round of the Fide 2025 World Cup in Georgia after defeating the former World Championship Anna Ushenina from Ukraine on Friday at an exciting match with a score of 4.5-3.5.The second round match between Vantika and Ushenina went to Tie-Breakers after both players won one classic game. Vantika won the first fast bite, but lost the second, eventually secured the victory in the Blitz section by winning the first game and drawing the second.“He has just relaxed,” Vantika Fide said after reaching the next round. “I won the first match in the classic section. In the second game I was much better, but in some way, at the time I ended up lost. I got a black lead at 10 + 10 again and the white drawing should not be a difficult task, but then, then dealt with the score and won in the Blitz section.”
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“There was a mistake in earlier games that I made that I thought that a draw was enough, but here I thought I just had to play well. I didn’t think of the result. I think this kind helped me a lot,” Vantika explained about her winning strategy.The Indian secured money for a price of $ 6,750 (approximately Rs of 5.8 lakh) for reaching the 3rd round, where he will face the former world fast and triple World Championship in Blitz GM Kateryna Lagno from Russia.The International Master Padmini Route was expelled after he lost to the former world champion Alexandra Konezenuk in Switzerland in the 2nd round. The female international champion Priyanka K also left the tournament after losses in both quick breaks against Klaudia Kulon, Poland.Four other Indian players have already advanced to the third round of the tournament. Humpy Koner will face Polish Klaudia Kulon, while D Harika will play against Greece Stavroula tsolakide.R Vaisali is ready to compete against Carris Yip of the United States and Divya Deshmukh will take over the Serbian Teodora Injac in the relevant third round matches.
