FIDE World Cup Goa 2025 Final Heads to Tiebreak After Draw

The FIDE World Cup Goa 2025 final is set for a tiebreak after Grandmasters Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov opted for a draw in their second game. Meanwhile, Andrey Esipenko secured his place in the Candidates Tournament by defeating Nodirbek Yakubboev in the third-place playoff. The matches showcased strategic play and high stakes, with Esipenko reflecting on the challenges faced during his game. Read on for a detailed account of these thrilling chess encounters.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 26, 2025, 02:03 IST

Tiebreak Set for FIDE World Cup Final

Panaji (Goa) [India], November 25: The final match of the FIDE World Cup Goa 2025 between Grandmasters Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov will proceed to a tiebreak after both players agreed to a cautious draw in their second game. This decision follows a similar outcome in the opening game, as reported by FIDE.

In the battle for the prestigious Viswanathan Anand Cup, both Wei and Sindarov played it safe. After drawing the first game with black pieces, Wei mirrored the strategy Sindarov had used in his semi-final against Nodirbek Yakubboev, resulting in a swift draw after the required 30 moves.

The third-place playoff, however, was much more dynamic. Yakubboev, eager to recover after losing the first game to Andrey Esipenko, took risks in his approach.

By the 11th move, Yakubboev's aggressive strategy allowed Esipenko to seize the initiative. The Russian player, representing FIDE, capitalized on this advantage and compelled Yakubboev to resign after just 26 moves.

Esipenko expressed his relief at qualifying for the Candidates, stating, “It feels great to have made it to the Candidates. Today’s game was quite challenging. I couldn’t calculate much; I was just focusing on positioning my pieces. Winning the first game was crucial, and he needed to win the next one.”