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IMAGE: Uzbekistan Grandmasters Javokhir Sindarov and Nodirbek Yakubboev in action during Game 2 of the semifinals of the Chess World Cup, in Panaji on Saturday. Photograph: FIDE/X
It turned out to be another dull day for the chess buffs as Wei Yi of China and Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan decided not to take risks against their respective opponents and settled for tame draws in the second game of the semifinals at the FIDE World Cup, in Panaji on Saturday.
Wei Yi, with white pieces, tried his bit against Russian Andrey Esipenko, who plays under the FIDE flag, but no matter what he did, the impregnable Petroff had its final say in the game played under classical time control.
The fact of the matter from the perspective of the Chinese was that he tried hard to follow a normal situation but there was no way he could conquer.
In the other semifinal, it seemed more like an order of the day — to draw and go into the next stage, the tiebreak.
One could have hoped Sindarov to do better but the Uzbek youngster easily gave another lease of life to compatriot Nodirbek Yakubboev.
An easy opening, quick exchanges led to a drawn endgame. It never felt like a match was on and both were seen hoping for favourable result at the end of the tiebreaker.
With no Indian result impacting and three out of these four players assured of a place in the Candidates tournament in Cyprus in March 2026, one player who remains with huge risk is Yakubboev who is a complete outsider in the mix of things and has a tough task at hand.
Semifinals Game 2 results:
Wei Yi (Chn) drew with Andrey Esipenko (FIDE): Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb) drew with Nodirbek Yakubboev (Uzb).
