Bortnyk Conquers DreamHack Dallas, Books Esports World Cup Last Chance Qualifier Spot
GM Oleksandr Bortnyk is one step closer to qualifying for the 2025 Esports World Cup and $6,000 richer after winning the DreamHack Dallas 2025. Bortnyk won the double-elimination knockout final on Sunday and posted match wins over GMs Alexey Sarana, Aravindh Chithambaram, and Andrew Tang.
All three GMs can take solace in defeat as they all finished in the top four, earning them an expense-paid trip to Riyadh to compete in the last-chance qualifier for the 2025 Esports World Cup that begins on July 24.
Knockout Bracket
Standings/Prizes
| Rank | Title | Name | Fed | Prize |
| 1 | GM | Oleksandr Bortnyk | $6,000 | |
| 2 | GM | Alexey Sarana | $4,500 | |
| 3 | GM | Aravindh Chithambaram | $3,000 | |
| 4 | GM | Andrew Tang | $2,000 | |
| 5 | GM | Rahul Srivatshav | $1,000 | |
| 6 | NM | Shelev Oberoi | $1,000 | |
| 7 | WIM | Tarini Goyal | $500 | |
| 8 | NM | Eric Kurtz | $500 |
- Qualifiers: Amateurs Test Professionals
- Winners Quarterfinals: Sarana Falls In Top-Seed Clash
- Winners Semifinals: GMs Fight For Finals Berth
- Winners Final: Bortnyk Bursts Aravindh's Bubble
- Losers Bracket: Sarana Scores 7.5/8
- Grand Final: Bortnyk Wins Titanic Rematch
Qualifiers: Amateurs Challenge Professionals
The DreamHack Dallas qualifiers and knockout portions were played at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. While the tournament was at a physical venue, all games were played on computers, as is customary in esports competitions. The format for the qualifiers required participants to play in a multi-round, 10-minute seeded open, with the top two finishers earning their spot in the knockout final.
62 players registered for the qualifiers, and amateurs were thrown into the snake pit against seasoned professionals. Naturally, rating mismatches and the odd David vs. Goliath clash cropped up over the weekend.
In three of the four qualifiers, the rating favorites—Sarana, Aravindh, and Tang—cruised through with perfect scores. However, in qualifier one, Bortnyk suffered defeat at the hands of NM Shelev Oberoi in round two, forcing him to clutch up against GM Mark Heimann to secure second place and ensure his progression to the knockout.
Qualifier Results
| Qualifier | Title | Winners | Fed | Rating | Place |
| 1 | NM | Shelov Oberoi | 2027 | 1st | |
| GM | Oleksandr Bortnyk | 2654 | 2nd | ||
| 2 | GM | Alexey Sarana | 2666 | 1st | |
| GM | Rahul Srivatshav | 2467 | 2nd | ||
| 3 | GM | Aravindh Chithambaram | 2739 | 1st | |
| WIM | Tarini Goyal | 2209 | 2nd | ||
| 4 | GM | Andrew Tang | 2619 | 1st | |
| NM | Eric Kurtz | 2553 | 2nd |
Winners Quarterfinals: Sarana Falls In Top-Seed Clash
The knockout finals featured an eight-player double-elimination bracket with best-of-two, 10+0 matches. A bidding armageddon game was then used to determine the victor when matches ended in a tie.
Due to Bortnyk's loss to Oberoi, he was seeded unfavorably in the knockout, and a showdown with Serbia's number-one player, Sarana, was his punishment. Two draws raised the curtains for a tumultuous armageddon game, and the players eventually arrived at a queen and pawn ending. Interestingly, Saran's four-pawn advantage was neutralized by Bortnyk's passed d-pawn.
Time proved to be a cruel mistress in this match as Sarana was flagged on the 89th move despite possessing a five-pawn advantage and an overwhelming position.
In the other Winners Quarterfinals, Aravindh, Tang, and GM Rahul Srivatshav overcame WIM Tarini Goyal, NM Eric Kurtz, and Oberoi, respectively. The latter two managed to snatch half points off their GM opponents.
Winners Semifinals: GMs Fight For Finals Berth
The headline match of the Winners Semifinals was a classic duel between Chess.com-titled event regulars Bortnyk and Tang, and the match didn't disappoint. The pair traded wins with White to force an armageddon tiebreaker.
Playing with the black pieces, Tang tamed Bortnyk in a Four Knights Game and seemed to have things under control until a time pressure-induced blunder 22.Qe6?? gave White the chance to take control. Bortnyk seized the opportunity and secured his spot in the Winners Final.
The all-Indian semifinal between Aravindh and Srivatshav came to a head in the second game when the former found the stunning queen sacrifice 17...Qxd5 and followed up with an exchange sacrifice three moves later. Aravindh demonstrated that his three minor pieces were more valuable than Srivatshav's queen. Check out one of the best rapid games played in 2025 so far.
Winners Final: Bortnyk Bursts Aravindh's Bubble
Bortnyk and Aravindh's match was somewhat anticlimactic thanks to an uncharacteristic, one-move Aravindh piece blunder in the first game. Bortnyk showed his experience and drew easily in a risk-free game with White in the second.
Losers Bracket: Sarana Scores 7.5/8
Meanwhile, a resilient Sarana was carving up the competition in the Losers Bracket and wanted to avenge his Winners Quarterfinals loss to Bortnyk. Sarana notched 2-0 results over Goyal, Srivatshav, and Tang before coming up against Aravindh in the Losers Bracket Final.
After drawing the first game with clinical precision, the players duked it out in a Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation and eventually reached an equal rook endgame. Unfortunately for Aravindh, the flat time control burned him when it mattered most—the world number-11's flag fell when he was three moves from forcibly capturing Sarana's last pawn.
Thus, Sarana found himself back where he started, facing off against Bortnyk in a winner-take-all Grand Final.
Grand Final: Bortnyk Wins Titanic Rematch
In the first game of the Grand Final, Bortnyk showed his risk appetite and employed the Dutch Defense. This decision backfired as Sarana found a way to gain a two-pawn advantage.
Much like in their previous match, though, Bortnyk's time management was superior, and he clawed his way back until he had a lone rook against Sarana's knight. A time scramble ensued, with Sarana clutching a draw by flag fall with 0.1 of a second left on his clock.
The final game became the decider, and the Sicilian Defense: Canal Attack was the battleground for this crucial game. With a $6,000 first prize to play for, Bortnyk opted for a Maroczy Bind-esque squeeze with pawns on c4 and e4. In the middlegame, he pounced on the first mistake Black made, 26...Be7?, and won the exchange. From this moment, Bortnyk seized the moment, refusing to give Sarana any reprieve until the Serbian GM resigned on move 42.
Bortnyk fist pumped the air when the win was confirmed and smiled from ear to ear.
This is a huge win for Natus Vincere (NAVI), the Ukrainian esports organization that signed Bortnyk back in February. Should Bortnyk qualify in Riyadh, NAVI will double their chances of backing a winner as GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov is also on their roster.
Your Road to Esports World Cup winner is @BortnykChess! He grabs #EWC2025 LCQ spot and $6,000. Great play by our grandmaster! #Chess #navination pic.twitter.com/AN1lQK14pB
— NAVI Chess (@NAVIChess) May 25, 2025
DreamHack Dallas is one of the ways to qualify for the chess competition at the 2025 Esports World Cup. Play consists of four 10+0 qualifiers followed by a double-elimination bracket final with the same time control. GMs Alexey Sarana, Oleksandr Bortnyk, Andrew Tang, and Aravindh Chithambaram are the top seeds of the event. Notably, all games at this event will be played on computers.
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