The London Chess Classic 2025 Elite just concluded with a bang. Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov clinched the elite title with a round to spare, forcing a draw against Alireza Firouzja in round 8 and sealing an unreal run. After a rest day, this was the most decisive day yet, with England celebrating four straight wins while Abdusattorov stayed untouchable at the top.
London Chess Classic 2025 Final Game
From the start, Nodirbek Abdusattorov was on fire in the Queen’s Gambit Accepted against Firouzja, a sharp line full of fireworks. He dropped a novelty, burned the clock advantage, and pushed hard with moves like 29…Rf4!, keeping White on the ropes. Firouzja hung tough under time pressure, but Abdusattorov’s position was too strong; he could’ve played on but took the draw, ending his streak at six wins for a massive +20 performance and 2995 rating.
“It was truly an amazing tournament for me! I played many interesting games. Actually, every game is very fighting, very interesting, and I’m truly happy with my performance,” he said, jumping from 22nd to 12th in live FIDE rankings.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov was uncatchable in the standings after round 8 with a two-point lead; Mishra and Shankland were winless at the bottom. Meanwhile, Indian star Praggnanandhaa shared Open first with 7/9 alongside Velimir Ivic and Ameet Ghasi, banking 8.17 FIDE Circuit points for 115.17 total—a 63-point edge over challengers. That locks his 2026 Candidates spot tight, even if Abdusattorov sweeps Rapid and Blitz.
Also read: Praggnanandhaa Wins London Chess Classic Open, Gets Closer To Candidates Spot
