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Nodirbek Yakubboev wins Prague Challengers 2025 on tie-breaks

by Shahid Ahmed - 13/03/2025

GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) drew with IM Vaclav Finek (CZE) in the final round of Prague International Chess Festival 2025 Challengers. It allowed GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (DEN) to catch up as he defeated FM Jachym Nemec (CZE). Both Yakubboev and Jonas ended up scoring 7/9 each. In this festival, both Masters and Challengers first place is resolved via tie-breaks. After a 150-move long battle, the first 5'+3" tie-break ended in a draw. It could have gone either player's way. However, Yakubboev won the second tie-break game convincingly to become the champion. Thus, earning himself a place in the Masters next year. IM Divya Deshmukh finished the tournament on a winning note. She defeated GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis (GRE) in the last round. Photo: Petr Vrabec/Prague International Chess Festival

Divya finishes on a winning note

GM Marc` Andria Maurizzi (FRA) scored sole 6/9 to finish third. World-class GM Anish Giri (NED) joined IM Sagar Shah in the commentary for the Playoff games. Fans and guests were treated to two extra fast paced games which determined the winner - GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB), the 44th Olympiad Gold medalist.

Challengers Top 3 (L to R): 2nd GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (DEN) 7/9, 1st GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) 7/9, 3rd GM Marc` Andria Maurizzi (FRA) 6/9, and Petr Boleslav, Tournament Director | Photo: Petr Vrabec/Prague International Chess Festival

Jonas - Yakubboev: 0.5-1.5

The first 5'+3" tie-break game between GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (DEN, 2503) and GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB, 2560) ended in a draw after a 150-move long battle. It could have gone either player's way. Yakubboev won the second tie-break game comfortably to become the champion.

Jonas Buhl Bjerre - Nodirbek Yakubboev, Prague Challengers 2025 Tie-break games | Video: ChessBase India
Interview with Nodirbek Yakubboev after winning Prague Challengers 2025 | Video: ChessBase India

Intense tie-break games in progress as arbiters - IA IM Pavel Votruba (CZE) and IA FM Petr Buchnicek (CZE) follows the game carefully | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

IM Divya Deshmukh (2470) finished the tournament with a win. She scored her second overall and first win against a GM - Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis (GRE, 2580).

IM Divya Deshmukh - GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India
Interview with IM Divya Deshmukh | Video: ChessBase India

IM Divya Deshmukh finished her tournament with a victory over GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis (GRE) | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

GM Anish Giri won game of the round 8 award with an 71% of total votes, 35 percentage points more than the next voted game | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Jaroslav Svoboda, Founder and Owner of Czech Inn hotels, made the ceremonial first move of Round 9 on David Navara and Sam Shankland's board | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Round 9 in progress | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Challengers participants organizers, guests and Petr Boleslav (right), Tournament Director | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

For more Round 9 and Prize distribution ceremony photos, please click at the respective links.

Schedule

The Round-Robin tournaments took place from 26th February to 7th March 2025. Every day except the last round, games started at 3 p.m. local time, 7:30 p.m. IST. Monday 3rd March was a rest day. The ninth round game on 7th March started at 11 a.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST.

Replay Round 9 and tie-break games Live Commentary by IM Sagar Shah and GM Harshit Raja | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 9 Challengers and tie-breaks games

Round 9 results

Bo.No.Rtg WhiteResultBlack RtgNo.PGN
152659
GMYAKUBBOEV Nodirbek½ - ½IMFINEK Vaclav
247810PGN
262645
GMMA Qun1 - 0IMSTALMACH Richard
24494PGN
372581
GMMAURIZZI Marc`andria+ - -GMSALGADO LOPEZ Ivan
25993
482490
IMDIVYA Deshmukh1 - 0GMKOURKOULOS-ARDITIS Stamatis
25802PGN
592640
GMBJERRE Jonas Buhl1 - 0FMNEMEC Jachym
24331PGN

Details

Final standings

Rk.SNo NameFEDRtgPts. TB1  TB2  TB3 
15
GMYAKUBBOEV NodirbekUZB265970,528,254
29
GMBJERRE Jonas BuhlDEN264070,527,755
37
GMMAURIZZI Marc`andriaFRA25816020,755
46
GMMA QunCHN26455,5022,505
53
GMSALGADO LOPEZ IvanESP25994116,253
610
IMFINEK VaclavCZE24784017,005
78
IMDIVYA DeshmukhIND24903210,005
82
GMKOURKOULOS-ARDITIS StamatisGRE258030,513,004
94
IMSTALMACH RichardCZE244930,511,004
101
FMNEMEC JachymCZE24332,509,004

Details

Time Control

The time control is 90'/40 moves + 30'/end & 30"/move.

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations: Masters, Challengers, Futures and Open

Prague Chess Festival: fbtwitter, instagram and youtube


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