Javokhir Sindarov Wins Naroditsky Memorial Blitz 2026

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has emerged as the winner of the inaugural Naroditsky Memorial Blitz 2026 tournament, held in Charlotte, North Carolina (USA). The event was organized to honor the memory of the prominent grandmaster, commentator, and streamer Daniel Naroditsky.

Following a highly competitive final stage, the representative of Uzbekistan scored 7.5 points out of a possible 9, remaining undefeated to securely claim the first-place trophy. In his final round encounter, Sindarov secured the title with a solid draw against top-ranked American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura.

For his championship performance in the blitz competition, Sindarov was awarded the top cash prize of US$6,000. Wesley So, representing the United States, finished in second place with 7 points, while American master Ethan Sheehan took third place with 6 points.

Earlier in the weekend festival, the Uzbek grandmaster had also claimed the championship title at the Naroditsky Memorial Rapid 2026, defeating India's Aravindh Chithambaram in a blitz playoff. By winning both events, Sindarov completed an impressive tournament double at the inaugural memorial competitions.