The clash between Nguyen Hoang and Dugu Qiubai ended in stunningly anti-climactic fashion after merely one opening move. Black suffered an immediate forfeit due to a time-out before even touching a single piece on the board.
With Red having played just the introductory move, no tactical maneuvering or piece coordination had the chance to unfold. The decisive factor was strictly clock management rather than board strategy, highlighting that the clock remains as ruthless an adversary as any opponent. Black's quest for defeat was ironically fulfilled in the most unexpected way possible.