The starting games of the Round 3 of FIDE World Cup were played in the Ugra Chess Academy on September 16. Seven encounters resulted in victories.

The biggest upset of the day was Kirill Alekseenko's (Russia) beating the higher-rated Pentala Harikrishna (India). The Russian GM broke through on the queenside and despite Black’s counterplay in the center infiltrated with his rooks into the opponent’s camp and took total control over the position.

Alexander Grischuk (Russia) defeated Xu Xiangyu (China) demonstrating superior calculation of variations in a very complicated position. It should be noted though, that after 24…Be7? he could have found himself on the brink of defeat. Alexander confessed that in the variation 25. Rxh7+ Bxh7 26. Nxh7 Qxh7 he completely missed 27.Qe4! with a decisive advantage for White. Luckily for the Russian GM, the Chinese player opted for 25. Qc6? which left him high and dry. 

Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) obtained a very comfortable position in his encounter with  Daniil Yuffa (Russia) and despite an early queen exchange shattered Black's defense combining the threats on both wings.

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) bested his compatriot Eltaj Safarli although the capitulation of the latter in the final position looks premature.

Dmitry Andreikin (Russia) was very close to equality in his game with Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland) but several inaccuracies snowballed into a disaster in a four-rook endgame.

Nikita Vitiugov (Russia) won one of the most important games in his chess career, beating Sergey Karjakin (Russia). "Sergey was defeating solidly, and after the time control, it seemed to me that the biggest part of my advantage has disappeared," said Nikita in a post-game interview. "However, Black's problems were bigger than they seemed at first sight. I am not sure about his decision to take a pawn on b3, maybe he could just stay. After the capture, it is sad for Black."

If Vitiugov makes a draw in the second game of the match against Karjakin, he will at least repeat his best result at the World Cups so far (Round 4 in 2009).

Welsey So (USA) “squeezed water from a stone” winning a drawish rook endgame against Santosh Vidit (India).

Other games - Tomashevsky - Nepomniachtchi, Jakovenko - Vachier-Lagrave, Ding Liren - Firouzja, Aronian - Matlakov, Dominguez - Wang Hao, Yu Yangyi - Wei Yi, Le Quang Liem - Artemiev, Giri - Xiong, and Nisipeanu - Svidler - ended peacefully.

The second games of the third round with the colors reversed will be played on Tuesday, September 17.

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The competition is organized by the Government of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, International Chess Federation (FIDE), Ugra Chess Federation, and Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation.

Official website: https://khantymansiysk2019.fide.com/en/
General partner – Gazpromneft-Khantos LCC.
Official airline – Utair.
Official partners of the competition: OJSC Rostelecom, Ugra Chess Academy, Russian Chess Federation, AB InBev Efes and PJSC Rosneft.
FIDE official partner – JSCo "RZD".
General media partner – News Agency TASS.
Media partners – Match TV, World of Chess social network, OTRC "Ugra", Ugra-news.ru News of Ugra regional newspaper, AIF-Ugra newspaper.