Sindarov Edges Closer to World Championship Following Draw Against Nakamura
Javokhir Sindarov has taken a massive stride towards winning the Candidates tournament and earning the right to challenge Gukesh for the world title.
Entering the latest round with a comfortable two-point advantage, the grandmaster opted for a highly pragmatic approach to secure a swift draw against American star Hikaru Nakamura.
With only two rounds remaining, Sindarov’s strategy is clear: avoid unnecessary risks, conserve energy and maintain his grip on the leaderboard.
«Every draw gets him miles nearer to the end goal,» observed commentator Peter Svidler during the live broadcast, correctly predicting that Sindarov would steer the game towards tranquil waters.
Following rapid piece exchanges, the two players signed the scoresheets while the rest of the field were still navigating their opening moves. They quickly headed to the media centre to explain their decisions to the press.
«Yesterday’s game was very important, and today I needed a quick draw to rest and prepare well for tomorrow’s game against Anish Giri,» Sindarov explained.
He revealed that his primary aim was to find forcing lines that would lead to a peaceful conclusion.
«If I had the chance, I would have offered a draw immediately, but we have to play 40 moves.»
Despite the peaceful outcome, Sindarov insisted he was not entirely passive. He had a contingency plan prepared in case Nakamura opted for early complications.
«If Hikaru had played something unusual, I was well prepared and ready to fight,» he noted.
However, following his coach’s advice to avoid a gruelling battle if Nakamura stuck to standard lines, Sindarov happily accepted the quick draw.
Nakamura was equally content to split the point without taking risks. Acknowledging that he was realistically out of contention for the tournament victory, he admitted to simply looking forward to the event’s conclusion.
The chasing pack falters
While Sindarov rested, his closest rival faced a gruelling challenge. Anish Giri came agonisingly close to defeating Wei Yi but ultimately let a golden opportunity slip through his fingers.
Wei Yi relied on his usual opening preparation but found himself outmanoeuvred early on. Giri seized the initiative, won a pawn and transitioned into a highly favourable middlegame.
However, under severe time pressure on move 32, Giri spent 15 minutes calculating a complex position before choosing the wrong continuation. A queen exchange would have decisively swung the game in his favour but his actual move allowed Wei Yi to escape with a draw.
Giri’s missed chance is fantastic news for Sindarov. The two will face off in the next round, where Giri faces an absolute must-win situation with the white pieces. Sindarov remains unfazed by the pressure, stating he is entirely ready for a fierce battle if the Dutch grandmaster decides to push for a win.
Elsewhere in the open section, the remarkably high standard of play continued. Andrey Esipenko and Praggnanandhaa R played out a fiercely contested draw boasting an accuracy level of nearly 99%. Matthias Bluebaum and Fabiano Caruana also agreed to a draw following a near-flawless encounter in a Carlsbad pawn structure.
Drama in the women’s section
While Sindarov quietly neutralised the open section, the FIDE Women’s Candidates delivered three decisive results and a major shake-up at the top of the leaderboard.
- Zhu Jiner produced a spectacular performance with the black pieces to defeat Vaishali Rameshbabu in a deeply complex struggle. This crucial victory propels Zhu into a tie for the tournament lead.
- Bibisara Assaubayeva closed the gap on the leaders by securing a dramatic win over Kateryna Lagno. After navigating a highly tactical variation of the Greco Gambit, the Kazakh grandmaster overcame difficult moments to claim the full point.
- Anna Muzychuk missed a spectacular chance to join the leaders. In a highly instructive endgame against Aleksandra Goryachkina, Muzychuk failed to find a beautiful but incredibly complex winning sequence under intense time pressure.
- Tan Zhongyi demonstrated exceptional endgame technique to defeat Divya Deshmukh and claim her first victory of the event.
With a rest day scheduled before the penultimate round on April 14, all eyes will soon turn back to Javokhir Sindarov. One more solid performance could be all he needs to secure his place in chess history.
