Nurgyul Salimova and Aleksandra Goryachkina drew the opening game of the FIDE Women's World Cup Final in Baku©FIDE/Stev Bonhage

The first game of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Women’s World Cup Final between Aleksandra Goryachkina and Nurgyul Salimova ended in a draw.

Russian Goryachkina, playing under a neutral flag, and Bulgarian Salimova achieved the same position three times.

 It is known as a "threefold repetition", so a draw was declared.

“A draw is a good result with black but I feel like I was pressing the whole game and I could play more precisely for sure," Salimova said.

In the third place match, Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine edged ahead of  former World Champion Tan Zhongyi of China with victory in their first game.

Meanwhile in the semi-final of the FIDE Open World Cup, Norway’s World number one Magnus Carlsen won playing with white pieces in the first game against Azerbaijan‘s unexpected finalist Nijat Abasov, but admitted that he expected only to draw.

"He started to fight really really well," said Carlsen. 

"He was finding a lot of resources and I started to get pretty nervous."

In the other semi-final, Fabiano Caruana of the United States drew with white against India’s 18-year-old sensation Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa.

Competition is due to resume tomorrow.