FIDE World Cup Finals: Sindarov Wins All, Esipenko Qualifies to Candidates

Tournament Information

The FIDE World Cup is one of the most prestigious events on the chess calendar. It is the largest knockout tournament and awards three Candidates spots to the first three finishers. 206 players are playing the tournament, with each round only growing in intensity. The time control is 90+30 for the first 40 moves, with an extra 30 minutes after move 40. Matches are played in sets of two: first, a classical portion of 2 games. If the result remains tied, the players play 15+10 games, then, if still tied, 10+10 games, then 5+3, then 3+2, and finally, if still tied, a deciding Armageddon game.

Watch and replay all the games in our broadcast.

Overview

After two quiet draws, with one somewhat loud moment, the match between GM Javokhir Sindarov and GM Wei Yi headed into the 15+10 rapid tiebreaks. Wei almost lost the first game after committing just one blunder in an otherwise near perfect game, but Sindarov failed to capitalize on Wei's mistake. However, in a rollercoaster of a game two, Sindarov was able to generate a counterattack against Wei's king and won the World Cup after hunting Wei's king down. GM Andrey Esipenko won his match against GM Nodirbek Yakubboev 2-0. Esipenko won the first classical game in an endgame where he had all the chances. Then, Esipenko won the second classical game after Yakubboev tried to desperately force matters and ended up with terrible light-squared weaknesses in his camp.

Interviews

Make sure to check out all of our interviews from the World Cup on our YouTube channel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf7oA1Q42Pw

Annotations by IM Nitish Belurkar (kingnb)

IM Nitish Belurkar has annotated the most important games and moments from the 2025 FIDE World Cup.

Finals: GM Javokhir Sindarov vs. GM Wei Yi, Sindarov’s Dominant Tiebreak Play

The 2025 FIDE World Cup trophy, the Viswanathan Anand Cup; Photo: Michał Walusza / FIDE

Classical Portion, A Missed Chance Amidst the Equality

Game 1

GM Javokhir Sindarov tested out GM Wei Yi's Petrov Defense with 3. d4, the second most common White move. The rare 8. f4 variation does create imbalances, and therefore does offer winning chances for White; however, Wei was extremely well-prepared and played the correct engine-approved moves one after the other.

Wei continued to show his deep and impressive knowledge as he played the clever pawn sacrifice, 16...d3!, without taking almost any time.

For his part, Sindarov also showed tremendous fighting spirit as he spent almost thirty minutes on 21. Qf3!, a move with a lot of nuance and complications. Unfortunately for Sindarov, he failed to follow up with the correct response, playing 22. Rb1 instead of 22. Bxc5.

After a sequence of trades, Wei had the opportunity to take a pawn and head into a rook + 2 pawns vs. 2 minor pieces endgame, where it was only Black who had winning chances. 24...Rxf4 25. Nxc5 Rxg4+ 26. Bg3 Bxf1 27. Kxf1 would have been an unpleasant line for Sindarov to face as it looked obvious that he wanted the game to head toward a draw. Wei, however, played 24...Bxe4, and even though there will still some small problems for White to solve, Sindarov took his time and did not allow Wei a second chance to push for an advantage.

GM Javokhir Sindarov vs. GM Wei Yi; Photo: Michał Walusza / FIDE

Game 2

The second game was simply a formality as both players clearly wanted to head to the tiebreaks. What is known as the Rubinstein Variation Accepted of the Spanish Variation of the Four Knights Game is basically a draw offer at the top level as multiple lines have been worked out to a forced draw.

The players quickly found a way to get an opposite-colored bishop endgame on the board, and thus the draw became clear.

GM Wei Yi vs. GM Javokhir Sindarov; Photo: Michał Walusza / FIDE

Rapid Portion, 15+10, Sindarov Does Not Miss His Second Chance

Game 1

Sindarov's aggressive queenside space-gaining a4-a5 plan in the Ragozin Defense asked Wei important questions that required precision to solve.

Wei found the correct liquidating moves, though, and the game seemed to be headed toward a draw as pieces were vacuumed off the board.

The endgame for White remained pleasant, however, and just one wrong move from Wei was all it took for Sindarov to have a winning advantage.

By playing 31. h5?? before 31. Be4!, misevaluating the resulting lines, Sindarov missed his chance, and the game was soon drawn, ending Sindarov's hopes of an early lead.

Game 2

The deciding game of the World Cup was as topsy-turvy as topsy-turvy can be. At first, it looked as if Wei, with the creative and aggressive Qf3-h4-Qh3 maneuver, had the upper hand.

Sindarov's central pawn mass, despite, or perhaps because of, being doubled, proved to be an advantage.

However, as Sindarov closed down the position, Wei started having some chances, but the game remained highly complicated.

After some more moves, Wei's position looked quite good, but both players were in severe time trouble, and it was anyone's game at that point.

With Wei's king so unsafe, it was only a matter of time before he would blunder, and 57. Rxd4?? ended Wei's run and granted Sindarov an amazing World Cup victory.

Third Place Match: GM Andrey Esipenko vs. GM Nodirbek Yakubboev, Esipenko in Control

Classical Portion, Esipenko's Resounding Victory

Game 1

The Four Knights variation of the Sicilian Defense is seeing a resurgence as it invites White to go for a Sveshnikov but without the dangerous and topical 7. Nd5 move. The downside, though, is that Black has to contend with 6. Nxc6 and the central follow-up, 7. e5, which puts pressure on Black's position. GM Nodirbek Yakubboev clearly came prepared for such a scenario, but GM Andrey Esipenko, who had the full hour and thirty minutes on his clock by move 12, also seemed to know the line well.

GM Andrey Esipenko vs. GM Nodirbek Yakubboev; Photo: Michał Walusza / FIDE

Yakubboev erred with 12...Bd5, allowing White the powerful and thematic 15. Nd6+!. Esipenko eschewed that option in favor of 15. Be3, though, and still retained a pleasant position. After some simplifications, it looked as if the worst was over for Yakubboev, but the game really had just started as Esipenko's bishop was always going to be stronger than Yakubboev's knight.

It didn't take long for Yakubboev to falter; indeed, his 29...Rd5-30...Ne5 plan was inaccurate. Instead, he should have, for example, pushed his king to f6 or played one of many pawn moves. 30...Ne5 allowed 31. b3!, aiming to break the queenside structure and create a passed pawn. Yakubboev again played an inaccuracy with 31...Nd3+?! because the discovered check after 32. Kd1 Nf4+ would lead nowhere with 33. Rd2.

Clearly unnerved by his decision, Yakubboev played 32...h5??, a blunder that lost the game, though Yakubboev's position was of course already difficult.

Game 2

Unfortunately for Yakubboev, Esipenko came well-prepared for his rare 7. Ne5 move in the English Opening. Esipenko's 7...a6 was a very good retort, and Yakubboev's 8. Qb3, after about fourteen minutes of thought, was inaccurate and failed to put pressure on Black.

GM Nodirbek Yakubboev vs. GM Andrey Esipenko; Photo: Michał Walusza / FIDE

After a couple of moves, which were perhaps slightly inaccurate from Esipenko's side, Yakubboev was clearly distraught with his position and went for the seemingly double-edged 11. Bxd5??. In fact, what looked like a dangerous pawn grab was actually just lost, or at least very close to lost. Yakubboev missed 12...b5!, which Esipenko played swiftly.

From that point onward, White had no chance to come back into the game, not even to draw it. Esipenko simply shut down all possible sources of counterplay and converted not only flawlessly, but also with flare as the beautiful 24...Nc1! sealed his Candidates ticket.

GM Andrey Esipenko with Angelika Valkova, analyzing using Lichess broadcasts; Photo: Michał Walusza / FIDE