Xiong, Jeffery – Firouzja, Alireza

2690 2022 · Draw

Xiong (2690) versus Firouzja (2778), 2022: a Scotch in which Black answers 5.Nxd4 with 5...Bb4, then rebuilds the structure with 6...bxc6 and 7...d5. The engine flags no turning point at all — no mistake, no missed chance. Both sides simply held the line: 86% at least good moves for White, 90% for Black. The finish is the repetition 39.Qc8+, 40.Qf5+, 41.Qc8+, 42.Qf5+, 43.Qc8+, and the point is split. The takeaway: a clean draw is not an empty game. It is what happens when neither player offers a handle to grab, and accuracy alone tells the whole story.