Chess world cup final: Wei Yi - Sindarov draw, Esipenko wins third place

The FIDE World Cup final began on Monday with a calm and careful game between China’s GM Wei Yi and Uzbekistan’s GM Javokhir Sindarov. Both players played safely, and the first classical game ended in a draw after 50 moves. Wei Yi, playing with the black pieces, used the Petrov Defence and reached a slightly better endgame. But Sindarov defended well and made sure he did not make any mistakes. With only two classical games in the final, this draw means the contest is still completely open, and the match could move to rapid and blitz tiebreaks if the second game also ends in a draw.

In the third-place match, Russia’s GM Andrey Esipenko scored an important win against GM Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan. This match is crucial because the winner gets a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. Yakubboev chose the Sicilian Defence but soon got into trouble in the middlegame. Even though Esipenko made a few uncertain moves that allowed Yakubboev to fight back, the Uzbek player ran into serious time trouble. With only three minutes left on his clock and more than ten moves to play, Yakubboev could not hold the position. Esipenko stayed calm and won the game in 38 moves. Now he needs only a draw in the next game to secure third place and qualify for the Candidates.

Overall, the first day of the final showed steady and careful play from the top players. Wei and Sindarov remain tied, while Esipenko has taken the lead in the third-place match. The next round will be crucial, especially for Sindarov and Yakubboev, who now need strong performances to keep their hopes alive.

Scoreboard (Classical Game 1)

World Cup Final – Game 1:

GM Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) ½ – ½ GM Wei Yi (CHN)

Third-Place Playoff – Game 1:

GM Andrey Esipenko (FIDE) 1 – 0 GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB)