The Chess World Cup has begun in Goa, India, with Bangladesh represented by two International Masters: Fahad Rahman and Manon Reza Neer.
In the first-round match, Neer (rating 2369) played with the white pieces against Norway’s Grandmaster Aryan Tari (rating 2631). Despite the nearly 260-point rating difference, the young Bangladeshi player delivered an impressive performance. Neer ultimately held the Grandmaster to a draw, marking a significant achievement for Bangladesh.
Tomorrow, Neer will play the second game with the black pieces. If another draw occurs, the match will proceed to the rapid tiebreak stage, and if unresolved there, the winner will be determined in the blitz stage.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s other International Master, Fahad Rahman, faced a tough opponent in Ukrainian legend Grandmaster Vasyl Ivanchuk (rating 2616). Playing with the white pieces, Fahad fought hard but eventually suffered a defeat. Tomorrow, he will play with the black pieces, and even a draw will end his tournament. A win would allow him to continue into the rapid and blitz tiebreak rounds.
Historically, Bangladeshi players have struggled to advance past the first round of the Chess World Cup. The only exception was Grandmaster Enamul Hossain Rajib, who reached the second round. Neer’s strong performance signals new potential for Bangladesh in international chess.
Bangladesh’s Neer Holds Norwegian Grandmaster to a Draw at Chess World Cup
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