Panaji, Nov. 3 -- Grandmaster Narayanan SL and GM Diptayan Ghosh won both their rapid games to clinch their spots in the second round of the FIDE World Cup 2025, while Aronyak Ghosh joined them with a clinical performance in the second stage of the Round 1 tiebreak here on Monday.

Playing with black pieces in the first game, Narayanan put himself in the driver's seat to advance to the next round by beating IM Steven Rojas of Peru in 52 moves and then wrapped up the match with white, winning in just 22 moves.

On the adjoining board, Diptayan Ghosh ground out a win in 70 moves in the first game against GM Peng Xiongjian of China, courtesy of his two advancing pawns in perfect position to revive his queen and then won the next in 46 moves ...