FIDE World Cup: A quick draw sets up tiebreaks for title as Esipenko wins third place
What a day at the FIDE World Cup finals. The players entered with very different levels of pressure. On one side, Javokhir Sindarov and Wei Yi faced far less tension, with the high likelihood of a draw sending their match to tiebreaks, a recurring pattern throughout this event. That is exactly what happened, as the game concluded within thirty minutes. On the other board, Nodirbek Yakubboev was in a must-win situation to level the match and keep his chances alive in the tiebreaks. Perhaps, nerves weighed heavily on the young Uzbek player, as he faltered early and allowed Andrey Esipenko to take control and secure victory. The first move was made by another local sporting icon, Ms. Saina Nehwal, Olympic bronze medalist in badminton, setting an inspiring tone for the day. Let’s take a look at the game for third place, and then a closer look at the contenders for first: Round 8 Game 2 results: Nodirbek Yakubboev 0–1 Andrey Esipenko Wei Yi ½–½ Javokhir Sindarov Nodirbek Yakubboev (2689) vs Andrey Esipenko (2693) The game began with an offbeat Neo-Catalan in which Yakubboev, playing White, opted for a line that concedes a slight advantage to Black but introduces early complexity and aims to take Esipenko out of his comfort zone. The idea seemed promising until one inaccurate decision completely shifted the momentum, and Yakubboev was unable to recover. Here, White played 11.Bxd5? labelled an “inexcusable move” by GM Peter Leko in the FIDE studio because it gives up the crucial light-squared bishop and hands Black full control over the light squares. After 11…Nxd5 12.Qxd5 b5!, with …Bb7 coming next, Black’s initiative is already very strong. White also cannot capture the seemingly free rook: 13.Qxa8 Bb7 14.Qa7 Nc6! 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 Here Black threatens immediate checkmate along with …Bb8 to trap the queen. In the game, Yakubboev instead played 13.Nf3 and continued from a difficult position. Esipenko’s handling from this point was especially notable: rather than following the computer’s top choices, he played natural, harmonious moves, very much in line with the style often compared to Capablanca, placing his pieces on perfect squares and increasing the pressure at the right moments. It was a clean, instructive conversion as he traded-off key pieces, maintained full control, denied counterplay, and finished the game with a beautiful mating net. Black is already completely winning here. Esipenko continued with 24…Nc1, inviting the mistaken 25.Rxc1 (which occurred in the game), and then followed with 25…Rxd2+ 26.Kg3 Qe2. White could delay but not prevent the impending checkmate. This victory sealed the match for Esipenko, who left the hall visibly relieved and exhausted. With two classical wins, he bypassed tiebreaks entirely and secured both third place and a coveted spot in the 2026 Candidates. Wei Yi (2752) vs Javokhir Sindarov (2721) There was little to elaborate on in the game for first place, as the players entered another Rubinstein Variation of the Four Knights Spanish, a line well known for its drawish nature. Both players blitzed out their moves with ease, clearly choosing to conserve energy and head into the tiebreaks tomorrow. Since the game offered little material, here is a closer look at the finalists: Wei Yi Wei Yi has long been regarded as one of the most naturally gifted attacking players of his generation. He became a grandmaster at 13, one of the youngest in history, and has built a career defined by calculation, creativity, and consistency at elite level. His resume includes a World Youth Championship title, three Chinese Championship titles, and two Olympiad gold medals in Tromsø 2014 and Batumi 2018. His famous win over Lázaro Bruzón in Danzhou 2015 remains one of the most celebrated modern attacking masterpieces. In recent years, he has delivered strong results in top classical and rapid events, including the victory in the 2024 Tata Steel Masters, maintained a 2700+ rating, and proven to be a dependable top-board player for China. Reaching the final here in Goa reflects his stability and resourcefulness throughout this event. Wei Yi’s 2025 FIDE World Cup ResultsRound 2: beat GM Kacper Piorun 2–0 (classical)Round 3: beat GM Benjamin Gledura in rapid tiebreaksRound 4: beat GM Parham Maghsoodloo in the final blitz gamesRound 5: beat GM Samuel Sevian 1.5–0.5 (classical)Quarterfinals: beat GM Arjun Erigaisi in the fourth rapid gameSemifinals: beat GM Andrey Esipenko with a key rapid win Javokhir Sindarov Javokhir Sindarov is one of the brightest stars of Uzbekistan’s new generation. Born in 2005, he became a grandmaster at age twelve and has since grown into a central figure in Central Asian chess. He is a two-time Uzbek Champion and a key member of the national team that won the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai. His 2025 season has been exceptional. He won the TePe Sigeman & Co Tournament, tied for first at the UzChess Cup Masters only to be edged out in tiebreaks, and achieved a 2796 performance rating at the FIDE World Rapid Team Championship. His impressive results have strengthened his position among the world’s rising elite. Reaching the final in Goa is the biggest individual milestone of his career so far, and combined with his qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, it marks his arrival as one of the most ambitious young talents in top-level chess. Sindarov’s road to the 2025 FIDE World Cup finalRound 2: beat GM Nikita Petrov 1.5–0.5Round 3: beat GM Nikolas Theodorou 1.5–0.5Round 4: beat GM Yu Yangyi in rapid tiebreaksRound 5: beat GM Frederik Svane 1.5–0.5Quarterfinals: beat GM José Martínez in a six-game classic–rapid–blitz marathonSemifinals: beat GM Nodirbek Yakubboev in rapid tiebreaks Both finalists are not only serious Candidates contenders, but entirely deserving World Cup finalists. Tomorrow, only one will lift the Vishwanathan Anand Trophy. The winner will be decided in the tiebreaks beginning at 15:00. Don’t miss it. The action can be followed live on the FIDE YouTube Channel, featuring expert commentary by GMs Jan Gustafsson and Peter Leko. To watch the games in person, tickets can be purchased [HERE] Written by WIM Charlize van Zyl