Thrills and Stalemates: FIDE World Cup 2025 Semifinals Head to Tiebreaks

The FIDE World Cup 2025 semifinals are set to go into tiebreaks after drawing matches. GM Andrey Esipenko and Chinese GM Wei Yei ended yet another draw, as did Nodirbek Yakubboev and Javokhir Sindarov. Efforts are underway to integrate chess into education, with promising future initiatives announced.

The FIDE World Cup 2025 has set the stage for intense tiebreaks after both semifinal matches concluded in draws on Saturday. General Managers Nodirbek Yakubboev and Javokhir Sindarov played yet another draw, while GM Andrey Esipenko couldn't overcome the sturdy defense of Chinese GM Wei Yei, despite a similarly drawn first game. The stalwart Chinese GM, under time pressure with the black pieces, managed to execute precise moves to reach the time control before settling for a draw after 37 moves.

Despite limited options for altering the result, Esipenko offered Wei a draw, which, after some strategic maneuvering on the board, was accepted, marking the game as another tie. On the other side, Yakubboev and Sindarov maintained cautious play in their second game, reaching a mandatory 30-move threshold before agreeing to a draw.

Meanwhile, the visit of Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Education Jayant Chaudhary accentuated the importance of integrating sports like chess into academic curricula, highlighting FIDE's vision for 2026 as the 'Year of Chess in Education'. A collaboration with KIIT University was announced, aiming for societal and educational advancements through chess, slated for a major conferencing event in January 2026.

(With inputs from agencies.)