Uzbek Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov secured an early victory at the 2026 Candidates Tournament being held in Nicosia, Cyprus.
By drawing with Dutch player Anish Giri in the 13th round, Sindarov brought his point total to 9.5, moving 2 points ahead of his closest rivals. Thus, he guaranteed first place regardless of the final round's result.
The 20-year-old chess player renewed the tournament record with 6 wins, surpassing previous results. He will now compete against the world champion, India's Dommaraju Gukesh.






