{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/","title":"Sindarov's record Candidates win earns world title shot","domain":"nytimes.com","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/131615/pexels-photo-131615.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","pexelsSearchTerm":"chess player victory","category":"Sports","language":"en","slug":"15888c87","id":"15888c87-376e-488d-b9a7-2a58f552e7d6","description":"Javokhir Sindarov won the 2026 Candidates Tournament unbeaten with 9.5 points.","summary":"## TL;DR\n- **Javokhir Sindarov** won the 2026 Candidates Tournament unbeaten with 9.5 points.\n- He scored six wins, a record in the double round-robin format since 2013, clinching after drawing Anish Giri.\n- Victory earns him a match against defending champion Gukesh Dommaraju for the world title.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess)\n\n## The story at a glance\nUzbekistan's **Javokhir Sindarov**, a 20-year-old rated fourth among eight players, won the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus. He stayed unbeaten and secured the title in the penultimate round with a draw against closest rival **Anish Giri**. The win qualifies him to challenge **Gukesh Dommaraju** for the world chess championship later in 2026. This follows Sindarov's 2025 World Cup success.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)\n\n## Key points\n- Sindarov finished with **9.5/14 points**, including six wins, three draws in the second half, and no losses.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)\n- Tournament held as a double round-robin with eight players; his six wins set a record since the format began in 2013.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)\n- Clinched outright victory after drawing Giri in round 13; Giri trailed but could not catch up.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess)\n- World number 11 entering; first Uzbek in Candidates since **Rustam Kasimdzhanov**, 2004 champion.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)\n- Will face Gukesh in a best-of-14 match; date and venue still to be determined.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)\n- Uzbekistan's rise shown by 2022 Chess Olympiad gold and stars like **Nodirbek Abdusattorov**.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)\n\n## Details and context\nSindarov entered as a surprise contender after winning the 2025 World Cup, rated behind top seeds but delivering consistent wins in Cyprus. The Candidates determines the challenger for the world title holder; Gukesh, 19, defended his crown after beating Ding Liren in 2024 but has struggled lately, dropping out of the top 10 with poor results in Prague and Menorca.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)\n\nGukesh admitted recent disappointment on Instagram and plans lighter training before Norway Chess in May, where he faces **Magnus Carlsen**. Carlsen, world number one, skipped title defense in 2023 due to low motivation after five straight wins.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)\n\nThis matchup pits two young stars, with Sindarov potentially becoming Uzbekistan's second world champion in over 20 years.\n\n## Key quotes\n> “My performance in the last few events has been quite disappointing, not just for me, but for all of you who support me.”[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/)  \n— **Gukesh Dommaraju**, on Instagram last month.\n\n## Why it matters\nThe Candidates win highlights chess's shift to younger talent from emerging nations like Uzbekistan. It sets up a generational world title clash between two players under 21, drawing global attention to the sport. Watch the championship match details, Gukesh's form recovery, and Sindarov's preparation later this year.\n\n\n**LANG:** en**","hashtags":["#chess","#candidates","#uzbekistan","#gukesh","#sindarov"],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195906/2026/04/14/javokhir-sindarov-candidates-tournament-chess/","title":"Original article"}],"viewCount":2,"publishedAt":"2026-04-15T08:42:50.093Z","createdAt":"2026-04-15T08:42:50.093Z","articlePublishedAt":"2026-04-14T17:48:29.000Z"}