Chess: Sindarov Wins Candidates With Record Total, While Vaishali Takes Women’s Event

Javokhir Sindarov vanished pinch a grounds full successful nan world title Candidates successful Pegeia, occidental Cyprus, arsenic nan 20-year-old from Uzbekistan won nan title pinch a grounds 10/14 total, 1.5 points clear of his nearest rival, Anish Giri. The women’s Candidates was won by India’s 24-year-old Vaishali Rameshbabu, half a constituent up of Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva, who is besides Sindarov’s girlfriend.

Sindarov dominated nan section pinch a controlled show reminiscent of nan aged Soviet maestro Mikhail Botvinnik. His pre-game mentation was exceptional, respective times accurately predicting what would look connected nan committee correct into nan endgame. On nan uncommon occasions erstwhile he was nether pressure, arsenic successful his 2nd crippled against nan world No 3 and US champion, Fabiano Caruana, his protect method was precise and assured.

Candidates last scores aft 14 rounds: Sindarov 10, Giri (Netherlands) 8.5, Caruana 7.5, Wei Yi (China) 7, Hikaru Nakamura (US) 6.5, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (India) and Matthias Blübaum (Germany) 6, Andrey Esipenko (Fide/Russia) 4.5.

4020: Hu Jun v Pentala Harikrishna, Tripoli 2004. Black to move and win.

Sindarov’s full of six wins and 8 draws is nan highest since nan existent Candidates format was introduced successful 2013. Now comes nan world title match, to beryllium played complete nan champion of 14 games. Sindarov and nan title holder, Gukesh Dommaraju, will some beryllium 20 erstwhile it occurs successful nan 2nd half of 2026 astatine a day and venue yet to beryllium announced. Gukesh’s reign arsenic world champion has been disappointing, including a driblet to 15th spot successful nan latest ratings.

Sindarov will beryllium astatine slightest a 60% favourite, though nan Indian tin expect maximum support from his homeland’s grandmasters led by nan erstwhile champion Vishy Anand and is judge to make a wished conflict of his title defence.

The intriguing mobility for nan early is whether Magnus Carlsen, nan world No 1, could beryllium persuaded to compete again successful classical chess if nan anticipation arises of a title lucifer pinch Sindarov. When Carlsen abdicated nan classical crown successful 2023, he said that he would only take sides against Alireza Firouzja, past nan starring young player. However, nan Iranian-Frenchman has since disappointed pinch excessively overmuch blitz and has diverted his profession into manner design, while Sindarov has zoomed to nan top.

The Uzbek’s ascent is peculiarly singular successful that, aft becoming a grandmaster astatine 12 years 10 months, he became addicted for respective years to nan video crippled Counter-Strike and played it for hours a time successful his teenage years. He only prioritised chess again aft he defeated Firouzja astatine nan 2021 World Cup and it became clear that Uzbekistan had superior chances for nan golden medals astatine nan 2022 Olympiad, wherever they triumphed up of nan Indian and US favourites.

Chess presently could expect to raise up to $10m for specified a uncommon arena arsenic a Carlsen v Sindarov world title match, which would besides supply Carlsen pinch an opportunity to fortify his declare to beryllium nan all-time No 1 up of Garry Kasparov. However, Carlsen would beryllium very reluctant. His main logic for abdicating his crown was his dislike of nan basal months of activity successful machine preparation, which is precisely nan area wherever Sindarov is strongest.

Carlsen whitethorn besides position nan coming 2027 preamble of nan Fide World Total Championship Tour, combining accelerated classical, accelerated and blitz events, arsenic capable for his continued activity.

The Women’s Candidates, besides played successful Pegeia, featured an bonzer capacity by Vaishali. The sister of GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu was nan lowest-ranked subordinate successful nan title and was connected a minus people pinch zero wins aft 5 rounds. After 11 rounds, she had jumped to clear leader, a constituent up of nan field, and contempt a 12th-round conclusion by China’s apical seed, Zhu Jiner, she continued astatine nan front, winning a tense final-round crippled against Kateryna Lagno successful nan crisp Sicilian Dragon successful which Vaishali, pinch small timepiece time, still recovered nan winning series 39 Rd8+! and 40 c4!

Final Women’s Candidates scores aft 14 rounds were Vaishali 8.5, Assaubayeva 8, Aleksandra Goryachkina (Fide/Russia) and Zhu 7.5, Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) 7, Lagno (Fide/Russia) 6.5, Divya Deshmukh (India) and Tan Zhongyi (China) 5.5.

Ju Wenjun, nan five-time reigning women’s world champion, will beryllium a clear favourite to take sides her title successfully against Vaishali. Ju has a highest standing supra 2600 and is presently rated 2559 against Vaishali’s 2470.

A uncommon English occurrence successful a beardown world unfastened came astatine Menorca past week, erstwhile GM Dan Fernandez tied for 5th prize pinch an unbeaten 7/9 and a 2601 capacity rating. The 31-year-old is aiming for a spot successful nan England squad for nan coming Olympiad successful Uzbekistan, and boosted his chances pinch his beardown result, which included a triumph against nan top-seeded, Volodar Murzin, nan 2024 World Rapid champion.

Another absorbing pairing successful Menorca was nan first gathering betwixt Argentina’s Faustino Oro and England’s Supratit Banerjee, 2 of nan champion 12-year-olds successful nan world. Menorca proved a disappointment for some of them, arsenic Oro again grounded to execute his last GM norm pursuing his last-round defeat astatine Aeroflot Moscow, while Banerjee mislaid 4 games for a 50% total. Their individual game was combative earlier Oro emerged connected top.

Both were upstaged by India’s 10-year-old talent Aarit Kapil, who scored 5/9 contempt gathering 3 GMs and 4 IMs and became only nan 5th subordinate successful history to execute an IM norm earlier his 11th birthday.

After six of nan 9 rounds, Kapil was still unbeaten, including a tie pinch Oro, and connected people for a historical GM norm astatine property 10, but aft missing a tie successful information 7 he was beaten successful a marathon 124 moves and mislaid his adjacent crippled arsenic good earlier halving for nan IM norm successful nan last round. As a nine-year-old Kapil drew pinch Carlsen successful chess.com’s Titled Tuesday, a crippled successful which nan pre-teen Indian missed an endgame win.

The English Chess Federation will big a typical 24-hour chess marathon connected chess.com connected Saturday, starting astatine 5pm, successful representation of 2 of England’s starring chess coaches, GM Jonathan Hawkins and IM Adam Hunt, who some died from cancer. Many titled players and young talents will return part, and each are invited to play aliases watch. Proceeds will spell to Macmillan Cancer Support.

4020: 1…Bxd4! 2 cxd4 Nf4! 3 Qb3 Qxf1+! 4 Kxf1 Rc1+ 5 Qd1 Rxd1 mate.