IM Neer holds Norwegian GM to draw at Chess World Cup

ByEnigma 808

A Bangladeshi chess player earned recognition after battling to a stalemate against a higher-ranked opponent from Norway during opening action at the FIDE Chess World Cup 2025. International Master Manon Reja Neer faced Grandmaster Aryan Tari on Saturday in Goa, India, managing to force a draw after 42 moves despite committing several missteps during the middle portion of play. Neer chose the Rossolimo Attack while playing with white pieces and recovered through solid defensive work in the final phase.

Mohammad Fahad Rahman, another International Master representing Bangladesh, fell to Ukrainian Grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk in his opening match. Rahman struggled with positional mistakes throughout the contest before accepting defeat. Both Bangladeshi competitors will face their initial opponents again on Sunday, switching to black pieces for the second leg of the competition.

A victory for Neer would advance him to round two, matching a feat accomplished by just one other player from his nation. Grandmaster Enamul Hossain Rajib stands as the sole Bangladeshi to reach the tournament’s second round previously.

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    Besides writing and being a content creator, Enigma 808 sometimes likes to watch paint dry on walls, listening to ASMR while timing snails racing. Such is life.