Wei and Sindarov agree for a quick draw in second classical game

That has been a theme song at the Chess World Cup. Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov sang it rather well at Resort Rio on Tuesday. They agreed to a quick draw in the second classical game of the semifinal.

Their first game had also been drawn, but not as fast, and Wednesday’s tie-break games – in rapid and then blitz if necessary – will now determine the champion. The second classical game proved shorter than a rapid one, in fact.

Wei and Sindarov needed just 24 minutes – and the minimum 30 moves — to finish their Four Knights Game. The players’ approach to such a crucial game was not surprising, though.

The day’s other game was just as important, if not more. Andrey Esipenko and Nodirbek Yakubboev were fighting for a place in the Candidates tournament, the qualifier that would decide the World championship challenger (the top three from the World Cup get the ticket to Cyprus directly). And Esipenko won that game, and thus the match 2-0.

After winning his first game, the Russian had only needed a draw. But his Uzbek rival was in a must-win situation as only the full point could have forced a tie-break; it instead proved a nightmare.

In the English Opening game, Yakubboev got into an inferior position early: there was a dubious 11th move with his bishop, and a couple of moves later, Esipenko came up with an excellent pawn-push on the queen-side. A steep slide it was from then on for Yakubboev, who eventually resigned after 26 moves, with checkmate not far away.

Not many may grudge Esipenko’s victory. It was his blunder in the semifinal against Wei that prevented him from booking his place in the Candidates earlier.

“It is the best performance of my career,” he said shortly after staging the spirited comeback.

The results: Final: Wei Yi (Chn) 1 drew with Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb) 1. Third place playoff: Nodirbek Yakubboev (Uzb) 0 lost to Andrey Esipenko (Rus) 2.