Yakubboev Draws 1st Blood, Crosses 2700 Live Rating

GM Nodirbek Yakubboev won the only decisive game in game one of the Quarterfinals of the 2025 FIDE World Cup, against GM Alexander Donchenko. A draw away from reaching the Semifinals, the Uzbek number-three also joins the (unofficial) 2700-club with a 2701 live rating. The other three games ended in draws.

Game two of the Quarterfinals is on Tuesday, November 18, starting at 4:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 CET / 3 p.m. IST.

Quarterfinal Results

With equal scores in the other matches, it means that a single loss on Tuesday can end the Candidates run for any of these players, except for Yakubboev. We saw draws in GM Jose Martinez vs. GM Javokhir Sindarov, GM Wei Yi vs. GM Arjun Erigaisi, and GM Sam Shankland vs. GM Andrey Esipenko.

Games, Results, and Bracket.

Yakubboev 1-0 Donchenko

While the high stakes of the tournament produced solid play on other boards, we saw the sharp 6.f3 Anti-Grunfeld in our Game of the Day. Yakubboev explained, "I wanted to get a complicated game, this is what I got, and I'm happy with it. At one moment Donchenko had a chance to repeat moves, but then he didn't do it and he went into the position which was stably worse for him and this is how I managed to get victory."

It's not clear to us where he saw a possible repetition, but 9.Nh5? was a clear mistake in the opening from Donchenko, though the most punishing 10.g4! wasn't played. Yakubboev started with 10.Qe2 and only discovered 11.g4! on the next move, with a subtle trick in mind. The most natural response, 11...Qh4+? to prevent White from ever castling, which was played, was in fact a mistake. 

It was an opening disaster for Black, as the white king snuggled up on c2 and the white pieces developed naturally, while Black had to spend time fixing his now-misplaced queen and knight. In that time, White mounted a decisive central breakthrough, and GM Rafael Leitao analyzes all the action below. 

It's a rough start for Donchenko, who played the longest tiebreaks on Sunday. However, Yakubboev stated that all the players are tired regardless of how long the matches go: "Even besides the tiebreaks it's a very tough and nerve-wracking tournament... but indeed it may have influenced his play and he was maybe tired."

Donchenko will need to win with White in the next game or be eliminated.

Sindarov ½-½ Martinez

Of the three draws in the remaining games, Uzbek number-two Sindarov was the only player to claim any advantage at some point. The opening, a Queen's Gambit Accepted, went solidly, but his biggest chance came in the endgame. 34.Nxh6!, winning a pawn at the cost of sidelining White's own knight, was the best continuation, but it was understandable that he opted not to risk it. 

Wei ½-½ Arjun

Wei vs. Arjun was the first game to end, and there wasn't much to discuss. The rare 9...Be6 (Kholmov Variation) in the Ruy Lopez was an interesting wrinkle by the Indian GM, but it didn't take long for the pieces to get vacuumed off.

Shankland ½-½ Esipenko

Shankland vs. Esipenko lasted longer, but the result of the game was equally never in serious doubt. A Queen's Gambit Declined ended up in a heavy-piece endgame, and although there were perhaps sharper ways to continue at some point, a draw was the logical result either way.

Donchenko vs. Yakubboev will be a must-win game for the German player, and we should expect to see the most fireworks there on Tuesday. The other question, of course, will be how many matches will go to tiebreaks?

The 2025 FIDE World Cup, which takes place from November 1 to 26 in Goa, India, determines three spots in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament. It is a 206-player single-elimination knockout tournament with eight rounds. Each match consists of two classical games followed by rapid and blitz tiebreaks if needed. The prize fund is $2 million.

Previous reports:

• Round 5 Tiebreaks: Shankland, Esipenko, Martinez, Donchenko Reach World Cup Quarterfinals
• Round 5 Game 2: Arjun Beats Aronian To Reach World Cup Quarterfinals
• Round 5 Game 1: 19-Year-Old Sindarov Grabs Only Win
• Round 4 Tiebreaks: Arjun Strides On As Pragg, Keymer, MVL, Rapport Lead World Cup Exodus
• Round 4 Game 2: Donchenko, Martinez Continue Giant-Killing As 11 Matches Go To Tiebreaks 
• Round 4 Game 1: Aronian, Martinez Strike As Praggnanandhaa Escapes Vs. Dubov
• Round 3 Tiebreaks: Vachier-Lagrave Wins Marathon Match In Armageddon
• Round 3 Game 2: World Champion Gukesh Eliminated By Frederik Svane; Giri, Abdusattorov Also Out
• Round 3 Game 1: Martinez Upsets Abdusattorov With Black Pieces
• Round 2 Tiebreaks: Lodici Knocks Out Niemann, Rasmus Svane Wins In Armageddon
• Round 2 Game 2: Harikrishna Sacs Queen; Nepomniachtchi, Wesley So, Aravindh Eliminated
• Round 2 Game 1: Arjun, Keymer, Wei, Mamedyarov, Vachier-Lagrave Among Early Leaders
• Round 1 Tiebreaks: 12-Year-Old Oro Among 20 Winners In Tiebreaks
• Round 1 Game 2: IM Shixu Wang Pulls Upset, 20 Matches Go To Tiebreaks
• Round 1 Game 1: Saleh Plays Attack Of The Day, Favorites Prevail In Game 1
• 2025 FIDE World Cup Pairings, Venue Revealed
• Divya Among 6 Players Awarded World Cup Wildcard Spots; Firouzja Not In