The game ended abruptly on move 8 when Red player Hai Dang Nguyen ran out of time, handing the final victory to Blind Hermit.
As the match was still in the opening phase with a balanced position and no decisive material advantage on either side, time pressure proved to be the ultimate weapon. Poor clock management and psychological strain robbed Red of a chance to continue fighting, proving that competitive nerve is just as vital as calculation skills.