Sindarov opens the game up with the Queen's Pawn!
It's a smart strategy from Sindarov to play this system, as opposed to the king's pawn. All the players who have tried the latter have run into the stone wall that is Wei Yi's Petroff Defense.
The Ragozin
One of the most reputable systems for the Black side, against Queen's Gambit games.
Sindarov plays the bishop out quickly, since he wants to push the king's pawn forward next but not leave this piece stuck behind its own pawn chain.
After the flurry of moves, Sindarov has the easier development and more central space. But Wei Yi has compensation in the form of the bishop pair.
Wei Yi steps away from more forcing lines that are considered quite drawish. Interesting from Wei Yi, suggesting that he wants to avoid whatever home prep Sindarov has cooked up.
Wei Yi gives up his bishop pair, in order to expedite his own development.
Sindarov has more space in both the center and queenside, making it the more comfortable position for him to manage. He also blitzed out this rather unusual move, suggesting that he is still in his home preparation!
Given Wei Yi's rook position, the natural move seems to be to crack open the center by pushing the pawn forward. But this feels a bit risky as it destabilizes his structure. A big moment already!
Wei Yi goes for the central pawn break, but Sindarov now has an opportunity to take the queenside pawn. If he's not careful, Wei Yi might end up with a damaged pawn chain (an isolated pawn in the center).
Sindarov going for two pawn trades in the center, clarifying the position and looking to secure an isolated pawn for Wei Yi that he will wish to target long term.
The opening has been successful for the Chinese player, as he has traded off a lot of material and has objective equality. Even though he has an isolated pawn for now, he will be able to get rid of it very soon.
Sindarov has no way to fight for an edge here, due to the fact that he cannot stop Wei Yi from pushing his pawn and equalizing on the spot, since his left-hand pawn is hanging.
Curiously, it's Sindarov who ends up with the isolated pawn following Wei Yi's clever tactical shot. If anything, in practical terms it's Sindarov who has to be more careful in this endgame due to the weaker structure!
Sindarov offers the change of rooks, something that would help him to 'correct' his pawn structure and rid himself of his isolated pawns.
Interestingly, Wei Yi chooses to be as pragmatic as possible. The trade takes away any realistic winning chances for him, but at the same time it simplifies the position and makes the draw easier to move towards.
Some slight practical chances for Sindarov here, as he can support his advanced pawn on the queenside. This is a much more dangerous formation than Wei Yi's less advanced pawns.
One of the major practical challenges for Wei Yi is that there are several ways in which he can play the position, but nothing is crystal clear.
Wei Yi goes for the most direct approach, forcing more pawn trades.
Sindarov might be looking to force a bishop endgame, where Wei Yi will have to be the more precise.
Sindarov forces the rooks off the board!
The point is that Wei Yi cannot play rook takes pawn here, since he would get checkmated! So the rooks are coming off.
Wei Yi seems to be aware that this endgame is a draw, in spite of the fact that Sindarov has the more active king as well as the more advanced queenside pawn.
Wei Yi has just made a massive losing mistake! The resulting pawn endgame (that Sindarov can force now) is now losing for the Chinese player, due to the big change in structure!
It was a super difficult pawn endgame to calculate, and so it's not a huge surprise that Sindarov does not capitalize on the window of opportunity. But still, the endgame remains very challenging for Wei Yi to defend correctly, so Sindarov may get another chance soon...
Targeting the pawn, but now at least Wei Yi has avoided the bishop trade - a critical detail!
There's simply no way for Sindarov to make any progress here.
The key detail is that if Sindarov trades bishops, Wei Yi will have the opposition. This fundamental endgame concept is what Wei Yi is relying on in order to ensure that the position remains drawn.
Wei Yi drops back to the key square, such that if Sindarov advances his king then Wei Yi can retake the opposition.
This one is over, as Sindarov cannot make any tangible progress with his king.
Wei Yi dodges a bullet in a hellishly tricky bishop and pawn ending, after he blundered from an equal to a losing position on move 30.
However, Sindarov was perhaps too respectful of his opponent's prodigious calculation, and perhaps believed that forcing the bishop trade at that juncture would not be winning. That is to say, that he may have felt that Wei Yi would have avoided this possibility if it were indeed a path to victory for the White side.
Whatever the reason for Sindarov not playing this move, this was the only chance for him to win the game. After this, Wei Yi shut down any whisker of a chance that Sindarov tried for, and guided the game towards a draw a dozen or so moves later.
Sindarov must now defend from the Black side, in the second 15+10 game of the match.
There can only be one!
We've been treated to a month of intense and increasingly high-stakes action, in a format that will long remain a fan favorite: the World Cup!
Today, we will finally close out the action and declare this year's winner.
Both of these players have proven super solid throughout the event. And this, coupled with their rapid & blitz strength, has made them immovable objects throughout the many rounds of play.
But today, one of them must break. We'll kick things off with two games of rapid at 15+10, followed by two faster games of rapid in the event that these are tied.
Should there still be a deadlock, we'll move to blitz - again two sets of two games much like in the rapid portion.
And if still tied? Then we go to the chess equivalent of penalties: armageddon! In this format, one player will have the Black pieces and less time on the clock. But the White side must win or else, they are eliminated!
May the best man win, and I hope you all enjoy the final day of the 2025 World Cup!