Uzbek Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has clinched a resounding victory at the Candidates Chess Tournament 2026 held in Cyprus, setting the stage for a highly anticipated World Championship match against India's D Gukesh. Sindarov, just 20 years old, delivered a dominant performance, securing his win with a round to spare.
Sindarov finished the tournament with an impressive 9.5 points, remaining undefeated throughout his 13 games, with six wins and seven draws. His decisive draw against Dutch GM Anish Giri in the 13th round on Tuesday solidified his position at the top. This triumph for Sindarov mirrors the surprise and awe that surrounded Gukesh's Candidates victory in 2024, where he defeated China's Ding Liren.
Youngest World Championship Matchup
The upcoming clash between Gukesh and Sindarov is poised to make history as the youngest World Chess Championship matchup ever. With a combined age of 40 (implying both are 20, assuming Gukesh is also 20 given the context of the record), this pairing breaks the previous record set by Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin in 2016, when both were 26.
Sindarov expressed the intensity of the competition, telling the FIDE webcast, "Last week was hard. I could not sleep properly. I wanted to finish in the Top 3 and show that I was not lucky to qualify for this tournament." He also revealed a past dedication to video games, stating, "I used to play a lot of Counter-Strike. After quarantine, I started to work hard."
Preparations and Preferences
For his World Championship preparations, Sindarov is coached by IM Roman Vidonyak, with GM Mukhiddin Madaminov serving as his second. He remains tight-lipped about other members of his team, preferring to reveal them after the match with Gukesh.
Regarding the venue for the championship match, Sindarov has a clear preference. "I don’t want to play the match in cold weather in Uzbekistan. I would like a hot country like Cyprus," he stated, indicating a desire for a comfortable playing environment.
Sindarov joins an elite group of players, including V Anand (2014) and Ian Nepomniachtchi (2022), who have won the Candidates event before the final round in its current format since 2013, highlighting the exceptional nature of his performance.