Javokhir Sindarov Leads 2026 Candidates Tournament After Win

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 4 April, Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov secured a victory over Chinese chess player Wei Yi in the sixth round of the 2026 Chess Candidates Tournament.

This marks Sindarov’s fifth win in the tournament. After six rounds, he has accumulated 5.5 points out of a possible 6, firmly retaining his solo lead in the competition.

The 2026 Candidates Tournament is taking place in Cyprus from March 29 to April 15, featuring eight of the world’s strongest grandmasters, including Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and debutant Javokhir Sindarov from Uzbekistan.

The event is conducted in a double round-robin format with a total prize fund of €500,000. The tournament winner will earn the right to challenge the reigning world champion, Indian grandmaster Dommaraju Gukesh, for the world chess title.