Panaji, Nov 24 (IANS) Chinese GM Wei Yi played another solid game with black pieces to hold GM Javokhir Sindarov to a draw in the opening game of the FIDE World Cup 2025 final, while GM Andrey Esipenko defeated GM Nodirbek Yakubboev in the third-place match in Panaji, Goa, on Monday.

In the first game of the final, Wei once again opted for the Petrov Defence with black and made Sindarov take risks to look for a win.

And Wei’s plan almost worked as the Chinese was in a slightly stronger position in the bishop-pawn endgame. But Sindarov was alert to the challenges posed by his opponent, and the two players agreed to a draw after 50 moves. Wei Yi has reached the final after beating, among others, India’s top contender Arjun Erigaisi in the quarterfinals. Two other Indian contenders, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Pentala Harikrishna, also went out earlier than expected.

In the third-place play-off, GM Nodirbek Yakubboev opted for the Sicilian Defence and had to dig himself out of a hole in the middle game.

Though he managed to equalise the position with Esipenko helping with some questionable choices, the Uzbekistan GM was definitely under time trouble as he had just three minutes left on the clock with more than 10 moves left to play to meet the time control in the endgame.

Esipenko, who had lost the semifinal tiebreak due to a blunder, kept his cool and forced Yakubboev to resign after 38 moves and will now only need to draw with black pieces in the second game to assure himself a spot in the Candidates event to be played next year.

The winner of the Candidates tournament will face India’s Gukesh Dommaraju in the World Championship Final match next year.

Results:

GM Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) drew with GM Wei Yi (CHN) 0.5:0.5

GM Andrey Esipenko (FIDE) bt GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) 1:0

–IANS

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