Wei Yi, Nodirbek Fail To Crack Opponents In World Cup Semis Opener

The opening games of the FIDE World Cup 2025 semifinals in Panaji saw both clashes end in draws on Friday. China’s GM Wei Yi pressed against GM Andrey Esipenko with a strong attacking setup but the Russian-born Grandmaster defended accurately, forcing a draw after 33 moves.

In the other semifinal, Uzbekistan’s GM Nodirbek Yakubboev and compatriot GM Javokhir Sindarov agreed to a draw after the mandatory 30 moves. Wei, who knocked out India’s Arjun Erigaisi in the quarterfinals, gained early initiative but couldn’t break through. With both matchups level, the semifinals now head into decisive second classical games.