Sindarov (5.5/6) destroys the field @ Candidates 2026 Cyprus

Uzbek Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov with a 5.5/6 start virtually destroyed the Candidates field after the sixth round in the FIDE Candidates 2026 at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus. World Cup Goa winner GM Sindarov defeated Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi, recording his fifth win in six games. Former World Championship Challenger GM Fabiano Caruana (USA) trailed in the second spot 1.5 points behind at 4.0 points and would be keenly looking forward to the individual encounter with the leader, where he can possibly hope to stop Sindarov. Further behind at 3.0 points were GMs Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (India) and Anish Giri (Netherlands).

In the women’s section, late replacement GM Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) led the field with 4.0 points after six rounds. Close behind Anna at 3.0 points were GMs Divya Deshmukh, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Zhu Jiner, Aleksandra Goryachkina andKateryna Lagno. On a day where the Indians shone, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu defeated GM Kateryna Lagno in a fine game studded with sacrifices. Matching GM Vaishali, a two-time FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss winner, was fellow Indian GM Divya Deshmukh who put it across the talented Kazakh Grandmaster Bibisara Assaubayeva. With first Candidates 2026 wins in their bag, the Indian stars would hope to turn it around in a close knit field.

In the game of the day, the unstoppable Uzbek Javokhir Sindarov once again did the impossible putting it across the usually solid Grandmaster Wei Yi. The Bishop’s Opening choice of GM Wei Yi appeared sound and solid until time became his second opponent. With less than 20 minutes to complete 20 moves the Chinese went astray and Sindarov pounced on the chance in no time. In the final minutes of the queen, rook and pawn ending white’s wrong pawn capture 30. Rxd6?? sounded the end for the Grandmaster from the Dragon country. Deep preparation and daring play has helped GM Sindarov take a massive lead close to the halfway mark. Just keeping his feet on the pedal steady, would be more than enough for GM Sindarov to take the chequered flag and challenge world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in the forthcoming FIDE World Championship 2026.

Further in the Open section, World No. 2 GM Hikaru Nakamura held GrandmasterPraggnanandhaa Rameshbabu to a draw, which temporarily halted Indian’s ambitions. Also drawn were the games between GM Fabiano Caruana vsAndrey Esipenko andAnish Giri vsMatthias Bluebaum.

Local stars were honored in inaugurating the 6th round when 12-year-old WCM Aida Paunescu, the current Women’s Champion of Cyprus and the youngest national chess champion, played the opening move for GM Fabiano Caruana, while 18-year-old FM Rafail Antoniou, the reigning Champion of Cyprus, replied for GM Andrey Esipenko.

Similar to every Candidates Tournament since 2013, this event will be a 8 player double round-robin tournament. The winner of the Candidates 2026 tournament will earn the right to play the next FIDE World Chess Championship against the reigning World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju. The winner of the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates tournament will earn the right to challenge Women’s world champion Ju Wenjun.

Round 7 starts by Sunday, 5th April at 8:45 AM ET / 2:45 PM CEST / 6:15 PM IST.

Round 6 Results (Open): Fabiano Caruana (4.0) drew with Andrey Esipenko (2.0), Hikaru Nakamura (2.0) drew with Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (3.0), Anish Giri (3.0) drew with Matthias Bluebaum (2.5), Wei Yi (2.0) lost to Javokhir Sindarov (5.5).

Round 6 Results (Women): Zhu Jiner (3.0) lost to Anna Muzychuk (4.0), Tan Zhongyi (2.5) drew with Aleksandra Goryachkina (3.0), Kateryna Lagno (3.0) lost to Vaishali Rameshbabu (3.0), Bibisara Assaubayeva (2.5) lost to Divya Deshmukh (3.0).

Wei Yi (2754) – Javokhir Sindarov (2745) 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Na5 5. a3 Nxc4 6. dxc4 Bc5 7. Nf3 d6 8. Qd3 Be6 9. Bg5 a5 10. Nd5 c6 11. Nxf6+ gxf6 12. Bh4 Rg8 13. O-O a4 14. b4 axb3 15. cxb3 Bg4 16. b4 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Bd4 18. Bxf6 Qd7 19. Rad1 Qe6 20. h3 Qxc4 21. Rd3 Qe6 22. Rfd1 Rg6 23. Bh4 Kf8 24. Qh5 Kg8 25. Kh1 c5 26. f4 exf4 27. Qf3 Re8 28. Bf2 Bxf2 29. Qxf2 Qxe4 30. Rxd6 Rxd6 31. Rxd6 Qe3 32. Qf3 c4 33. Qg4+ Kf8 34. Rd1 c3 35. Qg5 f3 36. Qxe3

36…Rxe3 0-1

Picture & Graphics courtesy: Michal Walusza / Yoav Nis / FIDE

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

LIVE Broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Official Site: https://candidates2026.fide.com/