Wei Yi, Sindarov, Esipenko in last 4 @ Goa

GMs Wei Yi , Andrey Esipenko, Javokhir Sindarov entered the last four after winning their tie-breaks in the 6th round (quarter-finals) at $ 2 million FIDE World Cup at Hotel Resort Rio, Goa. Home favorite GM Erigaisi Arjun went down to GM Wei Yi in a closely fought tie-breaker that saw the Chinese Grandmaster eliminating the Indian with a 2.5-1.5 match score. Completing the semifinal line-up along with GM Wei Yi were GMs Nodirbek Yakubboev, Javokhir Sindarov and Andrey Esipenko respectively.

With Erigaisi’s exit, the Indian challenge in the FIDE World Cup Goa comes to an end, but on the brighter side FIDE Circuit leader Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu is very much on track for the Candidates spot scheduled for next March at Cyprus. 

GM Erigaisi Arjun was left to regret the missed chance a day earlier in the second classical game. It was a situation similar to the game of tennis where a match point missed can become a chance squandered to make history. Sporting aficionados may remember Roger Federer missing a pair of match points at the Wimbledon 2019 finals against Novak Djokovic. The Wei Yi – Erigaisi first rapid tie-break game ended in a draw and the next one turned out to be a decider. The stage was set for the all important Erigaisi – Wei Yi matchup where the Indian had the white pieces. The Chinese went for the solid Petroff opening not expecting anything more than a draw. A mid game unforced error did the Indian in who went on to lose after 79 moves. 

The Peruvian Mexican Grandmaster José Martínez Alcántara who went 23 games without defeat finally met his match in the Uzbek GM Javokhir Sindarov. GM Martínez came up with a once in a lifetime show emerging from nowhere to move up to the quarter-final. His supreme self confidence and strength of play in trying circumstances will be remembered for long.

In another hard fought match GM Sam Shankland lost to GM Andrey Esipenko collapsing in the second set of rapids. The 2025 American Continental Chess Champion came back from defeat in the first set of rapid tie-breaks, but crashed in the next two rapid games losing the match 2-4. A heart-break for the Grandmaster trio – Erigaisi Arjun, Sam Shankland & José Martínez Alcántara – who went out in the rapid & blitz eliminations.

The last four players left have everything to fight for viz., prize money and a spot in the Candidates for the top three. The winner will receive the newly christened Viswanathan Anand Cup along with a Champion’s check of $ 120,000. The Runner-up shall receive $ 85,000 while the third and fourth placed players take home $ 60,000 & $ 50,000 respectively.

Semi-final Pairings (Round 7 Game 1): Nodirbek Yakubboev vs Javokhir Sindarov, Wei Yi vs Andrey Esipenko

Quarter-final Results (Round 6 Tie-breaks): Javokhir Sindarov beat José Martínez Alcántara 3.5-2.5, Wei Yi beat Erigaisi Arjun 2.5-1.5, Sam Shankland lost to Andrey Esipenko 2-4.

After a day of rest, the first classical game of the 7th round (Semi-final) starts by Friday, 21st November at 4:30 AM ET / 10:30 AM CET / 3:00 PM IST.

Javokhir Sindarov (2721) – José Martínez Alcántara (2644) 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 O-O 9. Rd1 Nc6 10. Qf4 Qb8 11. b3 Rd8 12. Qxb8 Raxb8 13. Bf4 d6 14. Rac1 h6 15. h3 Nh5 16. Be3 Nf6 17. Nb5 Rd7 18. Ne1 Nd8 19. Bf4 Bxg2 20. Kxg2 Ne8 21. Nd3 a6 22. Nc3 Rc8 23. Nb4 Nc6 24. Nxc6 Rxc6 25. e4 Rdc7 26. a4 Rc8 27. Na2 R6c7 28. Nb4 Ra8 29. Be3 Rb7 30. Nc6 Bf8 31. b4 Nf6 32. Kf3 Nd7 33. Ke2 Rc7 34. b5 Kh7 35. f4 axb5 36. axb5 Ra4 37. Kf3 h5 38. g4 hxg4+ 39. hxg4 Kg8 40. g5 g6 41. Rd2 Ra3 42. Rcc2 Ra4 43. Ke2 f5 44. exf5 gxf5 45. Kf3 e5 46. Rd5 Ra3 47. Kf2 Ra4 48. fxe5 dxe5 49. Nxe5 Nxe5 50. Rxe5 Rcxc4 51. Rxc4 Rxc4 52. Bxb6 f4 53. Rd5 Be7 54. Kf3 Kf7 55. Re5 Rc3+ 56. Ke4 Bd6 57. Rf5+ Ke7 58. Bd4 Rg3 59. Kd5 f3 60. b6 Rg4 61. b7 Bh2 62. Be5 Rb4

63. b8=Q 1-0 (Rapid game)

Erigaisi Arjun (2769) – Wei Yi (2752) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Nd7 6. Nc3 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bd6 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 c5 10. Nxd7 Qxd7 11. Qh5 g6 12. Qf3 c4 13. Bh6 Rd8 14. Be2 Qf5 15. g4 Qxf3 16. Bxf3 Be6 17. a4 Bf8 18. Bg5 Rd7 19. h4 Kg7 20. Kg2 Bd6 21. Rab1 b6 22. Rb5 Bc7 23. Bc1 h6 24. Bd1 Re8 25. f4 Rdd8 26. Rb1 Bd7 27. Rxe8 Rxe8 28. Ra1 Bd8 29. g5 hxg5 30. hxg5 Bf5 31. Bf3 Bxc2 32. Bxd5 Bd3 33. Ra2 Bc7 34. Kf2 f6 35. gxf6+ Kxf6 36. Be3 Rh8 37. Bg2 Rh4 38. d5 Bxf4 39. a5 Bxe3+ 40. Kxe3 b5 41. Rf2+ Bf5 42. Rb2 a6 43. d6 Ke6 44. Rd2 Bd3 45. Rf2 Bf5 46. Rd2 Rh7 47. Bc6 Rh3+ 48. Bf3 Bd3 49. Kf4 Kxd6 50. Bb7 b4 51. cxb4 c3 52. Rd1 c2 53. Rc1 Bf5 54. Bf3 Rh4+ 55. Ke3 Rxb4 56. Be2 Rb1 57. Kd2 Rxc1 58. Kxc1 Kc5 59. Bxa6 Kb4 60. Kd2 Kxa5 61. Bc4 Kb4 62. Bg8 g5 63. Bd5 g4 64. Bg2 g3 65. Bf3 Kb3 66. Kc1 Kc3 67. Bg2 Kd3 68. Bf1+ Ke3 69. Bg2 Kf2 70. Bd5 g2 71. Bxg2 Kxg2 72. Kd2 Kf3 73. Kc1 Ke3 74. Kb2 Kd2 75. Ka2 Kc3 76. Ka3 c1=Q+ 77. Ka4 Qb2 78. Ka5 Qb7 79. Ka4

79…Qa6# 0-1 (Rapid game)

Complete Results

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

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