Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov secured an early victory in the 2026 Candidates Tournament held in Nicosia, Cyprus. After drawing with Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri in the 13th round, Sindarov accumulated 9.5 points, solidifying his lead before the final round and earning the right to challenge the reigning world chess champion for the crown. His participation was supported by the National Bank of Uzbekistan.

Prior to the 14th round, Sindarov held a 2-point lead over his closest rivals, ensuring his victory even if he lost in the final round. This achievement allowed him to match the points record set by Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2022 and set a new record in the modern tournament format (since 2013) with 6 wins, surpassing the previous best of 5 wins.

Sindarov's win marks a historic milestone for Uzbekistan—he is the first player in the country's modern history to win the Candidates Tournament. Previously, only Rustam Kasimdzhanov held a world champion title under the FIDE version in 2004, but the qualification format was different at that time (knockout system). Sindarov is also recognized as the youngest winner of the 2025 World Cup at age 19 years and 11 months.

Sindarov will now face reigning world champion Dommaraju Gukesh in a match for the chess crown in late 2026. The exact date and venue for the championship match will be announced by FIDE later. The tournament's total prize fund is 700,000 euros, with Sindarov receiving 70,000 euros for first place and 5,000 euros per half-point earned (totaling 95,000 euros).

Source: www.gazeta.uz