Vincent Keymer was one of the top seeds for the second round of the World Cup in Goa, where he faced the Belarusian grandmaster Vladislav Kovalev. Kovalev was at his peak in 2019 with an Elo rating of just over 2700, so he was no easy opponent. Nevertheless, Keymer secured victory with two wins.
In the first game, Keymer had a winning position against Kovalev, but a careless move in the final phase gave his opponent a chance to draw. Kovalev did not take advantage of this, however. If you only draw the first game in a match against a nominally weaker opponent, the pressure on the favourite for the second game increases considerably. That’s why it’s good to set the record straight with a win right away.
In the second game, Keymer played white and opted for a ‘controlled game’. Kovalev chose an unusual opening. The position was perhaps slightly better for Keymer until Kovalev played the questionable move …f4. After that, White had a clear advantage.
Keymer said that he has played in India several times, in Kolkata and Chennai. This is his first time playing in Goa. He believes that the World Cup is a very special tournament because it lasts a long time and is nerve-wracking; a defeat can mean elimination, unlike in other tournaments where you can recover in subsequent games. With the chance to still qualify for the Candidates Tournament, the pressure on him is even greater.
Vincent Keymer’s coach, Peter Leko, is also in Goa, but he is also playing in the World Cup. “The preparation is already done,” said Keymer. “In that respect, it doesn’t matter much.” Having his father with him in Goa is a great source of support for Keymer.
GM @VincentKeymer04 – “It’s a bit different than 2 years ago – of course, I do feel that pressure – mostly for myself, I want to play well. I also see that there is some actual chance for me to qualify to the Candidates here, if I continue playing the way I did for the past few… pic.twitter.com/ZNfKbzaFJu
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) November 6, 2025
