Andreikin Dominates 3+0 Thursday With Two Tournament Wins
GM Dmitry Andreikin came within half a point of completing a remarkable sweep of all three 3+0 Thursday chess tournaments on November 12. The Russian grandmaster won the first two events and finished second in the third, narrowly missing a perfect day after GM Jeffery Xiong claimed the final title.
No player has won more than two Thursday tournaments in a single week, and Andreikin came closer than anyone to changing that record. Across three demanding 11-round Swiss events, he repeatedly recovered from difficult positions and produced sharp, practical chess at a pace of just three minutes per player with no increment.
The performance also offered a timely sign of form for Andreikin, who was scheduled to face GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the opening round of the FIDE World Cup the following week. While online blitz is a different test from classical knockout chess, his results showed that his tactical instincts and speed were in excellent shape.
First Tournament: Andreikin Overtakes Rising Star Oro
The opening event nearly belonged to 13-year-old GM Abhimanyu Mishra Oro, the youngest grandmaster in the world. Oro began with five consecutive wins and then drew his sixth-round game against the tournament’s highest-rated player, GM Alireza Firouzja. He stayed near the top of the standings throughout the event and entered the final round on 8.5 points, ahead of Andreikin on tiebreaks.
Andreikin kept the pressure on with a tenth-round victory over GM Parham Maghsoodloo. It was the only loss of the tournament for Maghsoodloo, who had joined after the first round and then put together an impressive 9/10 score. That late charge earned him a tie for second place.
The final round created a direct showdown between Andreikin and Oro for first. Oro defended against a dangerous attack and appeared to have reached an equal endgame. But in the fast time control, one missed tactical detail proved decisive: Oro overlooked a fork, allowing Andreikin to win and secure the tournament outright.
Andreikin finished on 9.5 points, the highest score of the day. Firouzja took second on nine points with the best tiebreaks among the players on that score, while Xiong placed third and Maghsoodloo finished fourth. WFM Alexandra Kosteniuk won the women’s prize with seven points.
Second Tournament: Andreikin Bounces Back to Win Again
Andreikin’s second event did not begin as smoothly. He suffered a fourth-round defeat to GM Hans Niemann, but responded immediately with a win in the next round to move to 4/5. The recovery was important in a Swiss tournament, where a single loss can quickly push a player away from the leading boards.
Another key test came against Maghsoodloo, this time with Andreikin playing Black. The game added to a busy day for both grandmasters, who had already crossed paths in the first tournament. Andreikin continued to score consistently, drawing his seventh-round game against IM Renato Terry before facing GM Nihal Sarin.
The encounter with Nihal developed into a complicated tactical fight, the kind of position where accurate calculation and quick decisions are essential in 3+0 chess. Andreikin found the winning continuation and converted the point, keeping himself in contention for a second consecutive title.
He finished strongly to reach nine points, half a point clear of the field. Maghsoodloo took second, while Terry placed third. GM Kateryna Lagno won the women’s prize with seven points. Andreikin’s second victory of the day set up the possibility of an unprecedented three-event sweep.
Third Tournament: Xiong Stops the Sweep
Andreikin’s bid for a clean sweep faced an early setback in the third tournament when he lost his second-round game to FM Mukhiddin Madaminov. He recovered with four straight wins, however, including a sharp sixth-round battle against Xiong. With Andreikin climbing back into the lead group, a third title still looked possible.
Xiong had other plans. He won his next three games, including an attacking victory over GM Robert Hess in the seventh round. The result helped him build momentum while Andreikin’s run began to falter. Andreikin lost in round seven to FM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami, then drew his ninth-round game against Maghsoodloo—his third meeting with the Iranian grandmaster that day.
Andreikin still finished on a strong 8.5 points, supported by favorable tiebreaks. But Xiong drew his final two games to reach nine points and claim first place. GM Morteza Mahjoob Tahmasebi took third with eight points, while IM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova won the women’s prize with 6.5.
A Demanding Test of Speed and Consistency
The day’s results highlighted the distinctive challenge of online blitz chess. In an 11-round Swiss, players must maintain concentration through a long sequence of games, often facing different opponents and styles with little time to reset after a mistake. At 3+0, there is no increment to cushion the final moves, so time management can be as important as finding the best move on the board.
Andreikin’s two wins demonstrated exceptional consistency, especially given the strength of the field and the repeated appearances of elite players such as Maghsoodloo and Xiong. His near-sweep also showed how narrow the margins can be: one loss or a single missed tactical chance may decide whether a player finishes first or just outside the top spot.
3+0 Thursday is a weekly series of three 11-round Swiss tournaments for verified titled players. Every game uses a three-minute clock with no increment, and the combined weekly prize fund is $3,000. The format offers grandmasters, international masters and other titled competitors a fast-paced arena where tactical awareness, resilience and rapid calculation are constantly tested.
Andreikin left November 12 with two titles and a runner-up finish—an exceptional achievement even without the historic sweep. Xiong’s final victory prevented a clean sweep, but Andreikin’s performance made him the day’s central story and provided a compelling preview of his upcoming over-the-board challenge.
