Vokhidov Strikes Back! UZ Chess Cup 2026 Round 3 Recap

Round 3 of the UZ Chess Cup 2026 was much calmer than the previous round, with only one decisive result — but that one game had a very interesting storyline. After losing a dramatic 109-move marathon against Hans Niemann yesterday, Shamsiddin Vokhidov managed to strike back immediately. This time, he defeated Mukhiddin Madaminov, the player who had won the first two rounds and had been one of the biggest stories of the tournament so far. Just like yesterday, Vokhidov found himself in a queen endgame, but this time the result went in his favor. Instead of defending for hours, he was the one pressing, creating problems, and eventually converting the advantage. For Madaminov, this loss ends his perfect 2/2 start, but his tournament is still very impressive. For Vokhidov, this was a huge comeback win after a painful loss in Round 2. In this video, I break down the key moments of the game, the queen endgame, and how Vokhidov managed to stop one of the tournament leaders. A quiet round overall — but one decisive game gave us plenty to analyze. #grandmaster #chesstournament #queen #chesscom #chessgame