Uzbekistan’s Sindarov wins Candidates chess in style, to challenge India’s Gukesh for World title

D Gukesh of India will face Uzbek star Javokhir Sindarov in the World Chess Championship match later this year.

Sindarov earned his right to challenge the reigning world champion by winning the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus. The 20-year-old clinched the title with a round to spare after drawing with Anish Giri in the 13th round on Tuesday.

Sindarov's campaign in the Candidates was so spectacular that he did not lose once, winning six and drawing seven times in 13 games.

Even if he loses the final round to Wei Yi on Wednesday, none of the other seven competitors would be able to catch him as the closest rival, Giri, still trails by 2 points. R Praggnanandhaa, the only Indian participant in the Candidates, was on five points from 12 rounds.

Sindarov will aim to become the first Uzbek world champion when he takes on Gukesh in the World Championship, the dates and location of which are yet to be announced by FIDE.

Gukesh had won the 2024 Candidates Tournament, emerging as the challenger to the then World Champion, Ding Liren of China. Gukesh finished on 9 points from 14 rounds in an impressive campaign, which featured three competitors who were again involved this time, namely Praggnanandhaa, World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, and World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana.

Gukesh went on to beat Ding in the World Championship match in Singapore in December 2024, becoming the youngest world champion at 18.

Sindarov would be a formidable opponent for Gukesh. Sindarov won the 2025 Chess World Cup and is arguably the most feared young player right now. World No 1 Magnus Carlsen has not been part of the Candidates and World Championship matches since 2021, when he clinched his fifth world title and chose not to defend it.