After two hard-fought draws, the quarterfinal clash between Alireza Firouzja and Nodirbek Abdusattorov is reaching a boiling point!
Both players have had their moments - but neither has managed to break through yet. Will Game 3 finally bring the spark that lights up the scoreboard? Time to find out!
Alireza sticks to his guns, repeating the same opening strategy he used in Game 1 of the match - showing confidence in his preparation and looking to improve on his earlier execution.
Nodirbek tucks his king away to safety with a calm kingside castle - both players now have their monarchs secure as the real battle begins!
Nodirbek now has two knights on the board, while Alireza holds the bishop pair. It's a fascinating dynamic - will the knights find strong outposts, or will the long-range power of the bishops dominate the game?
The position remains balanced on the board, but Nodirbek holds a small edge on the clock, with a two-minute lead. In rapid chess, every second counts!
The evaluation bar stays dead even, reflecting precise and accurate play from both sides. If this continues, we could be heading toward yet another well-fought draw in this tightly contested match!
Alireza calmly shifts his rook out of danger, keeping things under control.
We've entered a minor piece endgame - Alireza wields the bishop pair, while Nodirbek counters with two tricky knights.
A costly blunder by Alireza - what looked like a winning position has now flattened out to equality, as the eval bar drops sharply. Momentum swings back to balance!
Both players are now under intense time pressure - every second counts as the tension reaches its peak!
What a twist in Game 3 of this nail-biting quarterfinal clash! With the position on the board looking dead even, all signs pointed to yet another draw between Alireza Firouzja and Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
But just when it seemed neither side could break through - BOOM! The clock strikes, and it’s Nodirbek who runs out of time! Alireza, cool under pressure and lightning-quick with his moves, flags his opponent in a stunning finish, turning what looked like a draw into a massive win!