2 Candidates Spots To Be Decided In World Cup Tiebreaks
The Semifinals of the 2025 FIDE World Cup will be decided in tiebreaks after the second classical games both ended in draws. GM Andrey Esipenko tried to massage a risk-free edge against GM Wei Yi's Petroff, while GM Javokhir Sindarov took an early draw against GM Nodirbek Yakubboev. There must be winners on Sunday, with the prize both a place in the Final and qualification for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament.
The Semifinal tiebreaks will be on Sunday, November 23, starting at 4:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 CET / 3 p.m. IST.
2025 FIDE World Cup Bracket
For a second day in a row, both classical games were drawn, with the matches tied 1-1 and heading for tiebreaks on Sunday.
It was the calm before the now inevitable storm in Goa, India, as players were reluctant to risk with a guaranteed $85,000 (the World Cup winner takes $120,000) and Candidates spots on the line. The first game to finish was the all-Uzbek clash.
Sindarov ½-½ Yakubboev
When Sindarov played the rock-solid Spanish Variation of the Four Knights (with 4.Bb5), the writing was already on the wall for a quiet game.
Yakubboev's 9...c6!? is at least a twist on the established theory after 9...0-0.
Then Sindarov paused for 25 minutes before going for 10.Qh5, but GM David Howell's assessment that Sindarov was playing "with the handbrake on" and that the game would end in an hour proved to be correct. After the players carefully navigated the opening, they raced to a locked position which ended in a 31-move draw.
The day's other game was a real fight, but to say it never exploded into life would perhaps be an understatement.
Esipenko ½-½ Wei Yi
A curiosity of the day's action was that both games ended with the same queenside pawn structure, with white pawns on c2 and c3. However, in this Petroff there were obvious advantages for White. GM Judit Polgar described the position out of the opening as "a dream scenario for Esipenko."
The point is that White had the bishop pair and could slowly probe all game, or as Howell put it, "We’ve all learned how to refute the Petroff, or at least how to take zero risks and try to massage an advantage!"
The Petroff is a specialty of Chinese players, however, and Wei knew exactly how to tread water without making any serious concessions. The one real danger was his clock, as he got down to under five minutes with 15 moves still to make, but Esipenko had no clear plan except shuffling pieces and ultimately took a draw by repetition on move 37.
It's the quietest day of the World Cup so far as Esipenko and Wei Yi make a draw by repetition — both Semifinals will be decided tomorrow in tiebreaks! https://t.co/JGB4Hzy6Dl pic.twitter.com/y45Ov0V5Xn
— chess24 (@chess24com) November 22, 2025
That's our Game of the Day, which GM Dejan Bojkov analyzes below.
Once again, that quiet day only postpones the action, since on Sunday the two finalists of the FIDE World Cup—both of whom will also instantly qualify for the Candidates—must be decided. Don't miss it!
You can watch the event on Chess.com/TV. You can also enjoy the show on Chess24, on Twitch, or YouTube. Games from the event can be viewed on our events page.
The live broadcast was hosted by GMs Judit Polgar, David Howell, and Arturs Neiksans.
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:
- Semifinals Game 1: Wei Yi Escapes In Style Vs. Esipenko As World Cup Semifinals Begin
- Quarterfinals Tiebreaks: Wei Yi Knocks Out Arjun, Advances With Sindarov, Esipenko
- Quarterfinals Game 2: Yakubboev Advances, Wei Yi Survives Vs. Arjun
- Quarterfinals Game 1: Yakubboev Draws 1st Blood, Crosses 2700 Live Rating
- 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
Colin McGourty led news at Chess24 from its launch until it merged with Chess.com a decade later. An amateur player, he got into chess writing when he set up the website Chess in Translation after previously studying Slavic languages and literature in St. Andrews, Odesa, Oxford, and Krakow.
