At first glance, the results of Game 2 of the FIDE Chess World Cup semifinals on Saturday might just resemble Friday’s Game 1s. But when one looks closely, it becomes clear that they could not have been more different.

While the Uzbeks – Javokhir Sindarov and Nodirbek Yakubboev – treaded cautiously and settled for a peaceful draw, just like their previous game, the battle between China’s Wei Yi and Russia’s Andrey Esipenko was far more competitive.

Eventually, however, the fate of both semifinals will be decided in tiebreaks.

On Board 1, the intentions of Yakubboev and Sindarov were clear from the start. They went for a well-known ‘Four Knights’ opening, avoiding any complications. The pair did not shy away from exchanging pieces right from the beginning, and by the 21st move, they ha

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