Sindarov Stuns Nepomniachtchi in Round 1 of 2nd UzChess Cup
The 2nd UzChess Cup Masters 2025 kicked off with major surprises and intense battles. Fans were treated to top-tier chess right from Round 1.
Sindarov Defeats Nepomniachtchi
Javokhir Sindarov made headlines by defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in their first-ever classical game. Nepo had the advantage at one point, but a miscalculation gave Sindarov the edge, which he used to finish the game in style.
Sindarov took it 18…Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Nhg6 20.Bc4 c6 21.h4 Qd7 22.g3 Nd5
Black could have played 22…Nh3+ followed by 23.Kg2 Nxf2 to end the game quicker. Instead, 22…Nd5 was played. Later, after 31.Qxb7, the move Nh3+? gave White a chance to fight back.
White could have played 32.Kf1 to stay safe, but chose 32.Kg2? Instead, after 32…Nf4+ 33.Kg1, Black found the right plan with Rac8. Then 34.Nh2? allowed Bxf2+, and White’s position collapsed soon after.
Arjun Dominates Yakubboev
Arjun Erigaisi took down Nodirbek Yakubboev after a critical mistake on move 11. Yakubboev’s early blunder (Qxb7) cost him the game. Arjun capitalized quickly and claimed a comfortable victory.
1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Bd3 e5 4.c3 Nbd7 5.Nf3 d5 6.dxe5 dxe4 7.exf6 exf3 8.fxg7 Bxg7 9.Qxf3 Ne5 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Qxb7??
Aravindh vs Praggnanandhaa Ends in Draw
The all-Indian battle between Aravindh Chithambaram and R Praggnanandhaa ended peacefully. Much like their last meeting in Jermuk, Armenia, both players opted for solid play, and neither could break through.
Abdusattorov Outplays Vokhidov
Nodirbek Abdusattorov played a clean game to defeat Shamsiddin Vokhidov. A subtle endgame error from Vokhidov gave Abdusattorov the opportunity to press for the full point.
Other Key Results from Round 1
Parham Maghsoodloo and Richard Rapport settled for a draw. In the Challengers section, Vitaly Sivuk and Mukhiddin Madaminov scored strong wins. The Futures section saw Saparmyrat Atabayev upset top-seed Alan Pichot.
Tournament Format & Timing
The tournament is divided into Masters, Challengers, and Futures. The Masters section uses a time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest, with a 30-second increment from move one. Round 2 starts today at 3:00 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. IST).
Prize Fund Breakdown
The total prize pool is $121,500. The Masters section leads with $80,000, followed by Challengers ($25,000), Futures ($11,500), and Open ($5,000).
Round 1 – Masters Results Recap
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Aravindh vs Praggnanandhaa: ½ – ½
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Yakubboev vs Arjun: 0 – 1
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Maghsoodloo vs Rapport: ½ – ½
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Nepomniachtchi vs Sindarov: 0 – 1
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Abdusattorov vs Vokhidov: 1 – 0
Round 2 Pairings – Masters
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Praggnanandhaa vs Vokhidov
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Sindarov vs Abdusattorov
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Rapport vs Nepomniachtchi
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Arjun vs Maghsoodloo
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Aravindh vs Yakubboev
The action has just begun, and there’s plenty more excitement to come. Follow every move as top players clash in one of the most competitive chess events of the year.
Photos: Shahid Ahmed, UzChess Cup
Source: CHESSBASE