Top News

Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov clinched the 2026 FIDE Candidates title with a round to spare on Tuesday, earning the right to challenge India’s Gukesh Dommaraju for the world championship title later this year.

Sindarov, who had opened up an early lead in the tournament, held his closest rival Anish Giri to a draw with the black pieces in the penultimate round to all seal his title win.

The 20-year-old Sindarov currently sits on 9.5 points after 13 rounds with six wins, including a four-match win streak. He is still unbeaten in the tournament in what has been one of the best performances ever recorded in the Candidates.

Sindarov has been in red hot form in the recent past. He had also won the FIDE World Cup in Goa in November last year, securing his spot at the 2026 FIDE Candidates.

When Sindarov goes up against Gukesh sometime later this year, it will be the youngest world championship match in chess history.

Vaishali held to a draw

Meanwhile, the 2026 Women’s Candidates continues to grow into a nail biting thriller as joint leader Vaishali Rameshbabu was held to a draw in the penultimate round by Tan Zhongyi of China.

Playing with the black pieces, Vaishali was in an inferior position before Tan let her escape with a draw. She now has 7.5 points after 13 rounds.

Meanwhile, Bibisara Assaubayeva who started the penultimate round half-a-point behind leaders Vaishali and Zhu Jiner beat Anna Muzychuk with the white pieces to also climb up to 7.5 points after 13 rounds.

Elsewhere, Divya Deshmukh remained rooted to the bottom of the table as she went down to Kateryna Lagno with the black pieces. The Indian youngster has 5 points until now.