Twenty-year-old Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov won the 2026 Candidates Tournament in Cyprus ahead of schedule, earning the right to compete for the world chess crown against reigning champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Daryo.uz reports.
In round 13, Sindarov drew with Dutchman Anish Giri on move 57. This result gave him a 9.5-point lead and a two-point lead over his closest rival, allowing him to clinch the championship with one round remaining. In the final, 14th round, Sindarov will face Chinese grandmaster Wei Yi.
Sindarov became the first Uzbek chess player in history to participate in the Candidates Tournament. On his way to victory, he defeated the world's strongest grandmasters: Andrey Esipenko, Rameshbabu Pragnanandhaa (twice), Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Wei Yi.
The total prize fund for the tournament was $700,000. As the winner, Zhavokhir Sindarov earned the right to compete in the World Championship match. The date and location of his match against Gukesh Dommaraju will be announced later by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
After the tournament, Sindarov earned 2775.4 points in the live rating and rose to 5th place in the world. Only Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2780), Fabiano Caruana (2784.9), Hikaru Nakamura (2794.1), and Magnus Carlsen (2840) are higher than him.
Sindarov's victory marks a new stage in the development of the Uzbek chess school, which has demonstrated impressive results on the world stage in recent years.
The President of Uzbekistan congratulated Javokhir Sindarov on his victory in the Candidates Tournament.
Sindarov became the second player from Uzbekistan to enter the world's top five chess players.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
April 15, 2026