NEW DELHI: The chess world has a new apex predator, and his name is Javokhir Sindarov.In a breathtaking display of tactical aggression, the 20-year-old Uzbek Grandmaster (GM) clinched the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 on Tuesday, securing his right to challenge India’s D Gukesh for the World Chess Championship title later this year.With a round to spare, Sindarov’s draw against Dutch No. 1 Anish Giri was enough to maintain a commanding two-point lead over a shell-shocked field.
In an exclusive interview, Germany No. 1 Vincent Keymer, fresh from his own triumph at the Freestyle Chess Open at the Grenke Chess Festival in Karlsruhe, shared his insights on the Sindarov Juggernaut“I’m following the Candidates as closely as I can. I think it’s kind of the highlight of the year. Of course, I would have loved to be there, but still I’m following it quite closely,” Keymer told TimesofIndia.com from Germany. “What can we say? Sindarov is just crushing it.”
The most crucial moment in Sindarov’s run
Every legendary run has a moment where it almost never happened. For Sindarov, that moment came in Round 1 against Andrey Esipenko. Down on the clock with barely six minutes left against Esipenko’s thirty on move 27, and staring at a disadvantageous position, Sindarov looked destined for an opening-day defeat.Instead, he swindled a win that changed the trajectory of the tournament. Keymer believes this was the “Big Bang” of Sindarov’s campaign.“That first game was extremely critical,” Keymer shared with a smile. “He had a pretty bad position against Esipenko and was down on the clock. Honestly, it was easy for him to lose that game. If he had lost then, things would have been completely different. He survived that shock moment, got a bit lucky, and won that game.”
Sindarov was down on time against Esipenko (Photo: Screengrab from Chess.com)
Since that escape, Sindarov’s scorecard has looked more like a blitz demolition than a marathon classical event. His ability to play at high speed, a trait usually reserved for shorter formats, has left elite veterans gasping for air.
The masterclass of a champion
Perhaps an eye-opener for fans was Sindarov’s encounter with R Praggnanandhaa in Round 10 of the tournament. In a situation where most tournament leaders would opt for a solid draw to protect their lead with the White, Sindarov chose violence.“Look at the way he goes about the games,” Keymer told this website. “Against Pragg, he had the choice to play a solid game as White. Instead, he chose to sacrifice a piece for good compensation. But still, it was a very unclear position. In that moment, when drawing all your games basically guarantees you first place, going for such a position takes courage.”
What can we say? Sindarov is just crushing it.
Vincent Keymer on Candidates Tournament
Keymer, who recently secured his spot in the 2027 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship with his win at the Grenke Chess Festival, noted that Sindarov is winning with a psychological dominance that is rare in the post-Magnus Carlsen era.
The ‘Bluebaum Sweep’ that wasn’t
The 2026 Candidates has also been a tournament of subplots, none more colourful than the #GreatBluebaumSweep. What started as a satirical social media meme, prophesying that German GM Matthias Blübaum would go 14/14, became a lighthearted rallying cry for fans.Keymer offered a grounded perspective on his compatriot’s performance.“The sweep was a dream, of course,” Keymer laughed. “Matthias played a great Grand Swiss to get here, and he deservedly qualified. But at this absolute elite level, you need something special to happen to win the whole thing.”
Matthias Blübaum (Photo by Niki Riga)
While Blübaum didn’t deliver the 14-0 “sweep” the internet craved, Keymer defended his performance.“He’s been very solid. He doesn’t lose a lot (only one loss in 13 games). He’s trying to play good chess and wait for his chance, but the hope of him crushing the field didn’t materialise. Still, it’s a very reasonable result considering that we are seeing so many strong players being on way fewer points,” the 21-year-old GM stated.ALSO READ: Harika Dronavalli Exclusive | ‘Blank mind’ and bold leap: How the veteran cracked freestyle chess on debutAs the dust settles in the Candidates’ hall, the focus shifts to the D Gukesh vs Javokhir Sindarov showdown. It is a mouth-watering prospect for the new age of chess.
