Fabi, Sindarov (2.5/3) in joint lead @ Cyprus

Grandmasters Fabiano Caruana and Javokhir Sindarov led with a 2.5/3 score in the FIDE Candidates 2026 after the third round at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus. World Cup winner GM Sindarov brought down co-leader GM Praggnanandhaa with a knight sacrifice, while GM Fabiano Caruana defeated Chinese GM Wei Yi in a miniature 19 mover. In the women’s section, a pack of six Grandmasters stayed half a point behind the leaders. GMs Bibisara Assaubayeva and Kateryna Lagno led the table with 2.0 points after the third round. This prestigious FIDE event to identify the challenger for the next world championship runs from 28th March till 16th April, 2026.

FIDE Vice President Michael Khodarkovsky inaugurated the third round making the symbolic first move in the Fabiano Caruana vs Wei Yi game. The game incidentally got over in double quick time, much unlike a Candidates clash.

In hindsight, the 19 move Zukertort Opening game between joint leader GM Fabiano Caruana and GM Wei Yi might appear like an anti-climax. The Chinese had the former world championship challenger thinking hard with deep home preparation. The American dug in deep and helped himself out of the situation, but went hugely behind in time. In a critical middle game position, Wei Yi dropped guard and found himself losing a bishop and the game. A slip at this level can prove to be costly as Wei Yi realised in a painful manner. The win takes rating favorite Caruana to the top of the table along with Uzbek Sindarov.

The Indian challenge met with a setback as GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu went down to some risky yet resourceful play from GM Javokhir Sindarov. A defeat that rose from a Queen’s Gambit Declined game evened out the first round victory, putting Pragg back into 50% score. Just out of the opening Sindarov grabbed a half-chance, going in for an attack on the white king by giving up a piece. Pragg kept defending a complicated position that demanded great precision. The Indian Grandmaster kept walking on thin ice and slipped at a critical juncture 33. c5?? when he had less than five minutes to complete the first time control. Not the one miss a chance Sindarov wound up the game by move 40.

The games between GMs Hikaru Nakamura vs Anish Giri, Matthias Bluebaum vs Andrey Esipenko ended evenly. In a crucial match up before the first rest day, Indian hope GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu takes on Candidates first timer GM Matthias Bluebaum with black pieces. GMs Divya Deshmukh and Vaishali Rameshbabu sit behind white pieces taking on GMs Zhu Jiner and Aleksandra Goryachkina, looking to land their first win. It happened to be a bad day in office for the Chinese contingent as all the three GMs from the Dragon country viz., Wei Yi, Zhu Jiner, Tan Zhongyi lost their games today.

Round 4 starts by Wednesday, 1st April at 8:45 AM ET / 2:45 PM CEST / 6:15 PM IST.

Round 3 Results (Open): Matthias Bluebaum (1.5) drew with Andrey Esipenko (1.0), Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (1.5) lost to Javokhir Sindarov (2.5), Fabiano Caruana (2.5) beat Wei Yi (1.0), Hikaru Nakamura (1.0) drew with Anish Giri (1.0).

Round 3 Results (Women): Vaishali Rameshbabu (1.5) drew with Anna Muzychuk (1.5), Aleksandra Goryachkina (1.5) drew with Divya Deshmukh (1.5), Zhu Jiner (1.0) lost to Bibisara Assaubayeva (2.0), Tan Zhongyi (1.0) lost to Kateryna Lagno (2.0).

Fabiano Caruana (2795) – Wei Yi (2754) 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. g3 g6 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. Qa4+ Nc6 8. Ng5 Nb6 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Qxc6+ Bd7 11. Qxc5 h6 12. Nf3 Rc8 13. Qa5 Bh3 14. Qb5+ Nd7 15. Rg1 O-O 16. g4 Rc5 17. Qb3 Ne5 18. Nxe5 Rxe5

19. Nd1 1-0

Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (2741) – Javokhir Sindarov (2745) 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. a3 Nc6 9. Qc2 Re8 10. Bg5 d4 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Ne4 Qf5 13. b4 Nxb4 14. axb4 Bxb4+ 15. Kd1 dxe3 16. Bd3 Qg6 17. fxe3 f5 18. Ng3 Bc5 19. Qc3 e5 20. Bc2 e4 21. Nd2 Rd8 22. Kc1 Qg5 23. Re1 Qe7 24. Re2 Bb4 25. Qb2 a5 26. Nb3 Ra6 27. Nd4 Qg5 28. Kb1 h5 29. Ka2 h4 30. Nf1 Bd7 31. Rd1 Rc8 32. Nd2 Rb6 33. c5 Rxc5 34. Qb3+ Kh8 35. Qf7 Rxc2+ 36. Kb1 Rxd2 37. Rdxd2 Bxd2+ 38. Ka2 Bxe3 39. Qxd7 Bxd4 40. Qxd4

40…Qf6 0-1

Picture courtesy: Michal Walusza / Yoav Nis / FIDE

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