FIDE World Cup Goa 2025: Tiebreak Set for Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov Final

Tiebreak Looms in Wei-Sindarov Final

The final match of the FIDE World Cup Goa 2025 between Grandmasters Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov is heading to a tiebreak. Both players opted for a cautious approach, resulting in a draw in their second game. Meanwhile, GM Andrey Esipenko secured a spot in the Candidates Tournament by defeating Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Yakubboev in the third-place playoff, according to a statement from FIDE.

Wei and Sindarov Play it Safe

In their battle for the prestigious Viswanathan Anand Cup, Wei and Sindarov chose not to take risks. After drawing the first game while playing black, Wei mirrored the strategy Sindarov used in his semi-final against Yakubboev, leading to a swift draw after the required 30 moves.

Esipenko's Victory Secures Candidates Qualification

The third-place playoff was more dynamic, with Yakubboev attempting to secure a win after losing the first game to Esipenko on Monday. His aggressive tactics allowed Esipenko to seize control by the 11th move. Representing FIDE, Esipenko capitalized on this advantage, forcing Yakubboev to resign after 26 moves. "It feels great to qualify for the Candidates. Today’s match was challenging, and I focused on positioning my pieces rather than calculating moves. Winning the first game was crucial, and Yakubboev needed to win the second," Esipenko remarked following his qualification, as stated in the FIDE release.