Sindarov draws first blood @ World Cup Goa

GM Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan) drew the first blood defeating GM Svane Frederik (Germany) in the 1st classical game of the 5th round at $ 2 million FIDE World Cup at Hotel Resort Rio, Goa. In other boards, the games between Erigaisi Arjun & Levon Aronian, Sam Shankland & Daniil Dubov, Donchenko Alexander & Le Quang Liem, Sargissian Gabriel & Yakubboev Nodirbek, Esipenko Andrey & Grebnev Aleksey, Sevian Samuel & Wei Yi, José Martínez Alcántara & Pentala Harikrishna ended on an even note.

Playing on the 2nd board, Grandmaster Erigaisi Arjun went for an all out attack in the crucial pre-quarterfinal round against Armenian American Grandmaster Levon Aronian. The highly anticipated Arjun – Aronian duel didn’t disappoint and was entertaining from the word go. The Queen’s Gambit Declined opened in a sober manner, but the Indian quickly re-grouped starting a flowing king-side attack. For his part, GM Aronian, a two time World Cup winner, held fort with some accurate defense thwarting white’s ambitions. The ensuing double rook and pawn ending had it’s pitfalls, but Aronian tread carefully holding the game to a draw in 41  moves.

The other Indian in the fray, Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna played a near perfect Italian Game splitting points with the Peruvian Mexican Grandmaster José Martínez Alcántara after four hours of play. Treading the known path, both the GMs, came up with risk free play leading to a drawn rook and pawn ending. More could be expected from the Indian veteran who’d turn up with the white pieces in the next encounter. At 39-years-of-age this could be a swansong for the Indian and GM Harikrishna would definitely want to finish up on high note on the home soil. For that the former Asian Individual Champion would need to cut across the dream run of GM Martínez who also wants to remain the last man standing.

In the game of the day, GM Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan) defeated GM Svane Frederik (Germany) in a marathon game where nerves had the final say. It comes as no surprise that GM Sindarov is on another fine World Cup run. In the previous FIDE World Cup editions, the Uzbek had delivered big upsets, defeating GMs Alireza Firouzja in Sochi 2021 & Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in Baku 2023. The Italian Giuoco Piano game looked set for an even score little after the end of the first time control and four hours of play. Deep into the minor pieces ending where Sindarov had two bishops against Frederik’s knight and bishop the German erred. From that point the Uzbek tightened his grip and won the only game of the fifth round after 68 moves. A painful defeat for the German who finds himself on a must win situation in the reverse encounter.

The second classical game of round five starts by Saturday, 15th November at 4:30 AM ET / 10:30 AM CET / 3:00 PM IST.

Results: (Round 5 Game 1): Javokhir Sindarov beat Svane Frederik, Erigaisi Arjun drew with Levon Aronian, Sam Shankland drew with Daniil Dubov, Donchenko Alexander drew with Le Quang Liem, Sargissian Gabriel drew with Yakubboev Nodirbek, Esipenko Andrey drew with Grebnev Aleksey, Sevian Samuel drew with Wei Yi, Martinez Alcantara Jose Eduardo drew with Harikrishna Pentala.

Sindarov Javokhir (2721) – Svane Frederik (2640) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. b4 Bb6 8. a4 a5 9. b5 Ne7 10. Nbd2 Ng6 11. d4 Bg4 12. Qc2 Qd7 13. Re1 Rae8 14. Ba3 Nf4 15. Bf1 Bxf3 16. Nxf3 Qg4 17. Kh1 Nh3 18. Re3 Ng5 19. h3 Qh5 20. Nxg5 Qxg5 21. Rd1 Qg6 22. Bd3 Nh5 23. g3 Re7 24. Bb2 Rfe8 25. Rde1 Qf6 26. Kg2 Qe6 27. Rf3 Nf6 28. dxe5 Nd7 29. exd6 Qxd6 30. Rf4 Ne5 31. Rd1 Rd7 32. Be2 Qe7 33. Rxd7 Qxd7 34. Bc1 Qe6 35. h4 Ng6 36. Rf5 Qxe4+ 37. Qxe4 Rxe4 38. Bf3 Re5 39. Rg5 h6 40. Rxe5 Nxe5 41. Be4 h5 42. f3 g6 43. Kf1 Nd7 44. g4 Nf6 45. Bxb7 hxg4 46. Bg5 Nd7 47. fxg4 Nc5 48. Bc6 Nxa4 49. Bf6 Bc5 50. Ke2 Nb6 51. Kd3 a4 52. c4 a3 53. Kc3 Bf8 54. Kb3 Bg7 55. Bd8 Be5 56. c5 Na4 57. Be7 Kg7 58. Kxa3 Nb2 59. Kb3 f5 60. gxf5 gxf5 61. b6 cxb6 62. cxb6 Nd3 63. Kc4 Nf4 64. Bd7 Ng2 65. Kd5 Bg3 66. Bxf5 Nxh4 67. Be4 Ng6

68. Bxg6 1-0

Complete Results

Photos Courtesy: Michal Walusza / Eteri Kublashvili / FIDE (International Chess Federation)

Official Site: https://worldcup2025.fide.com/