Sindarov Calls Gukesh Match Toughest Challenge of His Life

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov said he is unsure whether he will get another opportunity to compete for the world title and described his upcoming match against reigning champion Gukesh Dommaraju as the toughest tournament of his career. The 20-year-old Uzbek told The New Indian Express.

Sindarov, the winner of the Candidates Tournament, will face Gukesh in a match for the world chess championship title in Geneva. The first game is scheduled for 24 November.

“This tournament will be the toughest of my life,” The New Indian Express quoted Sindarov as saying. He added that playing 14 games against the same opponent over three weeks would be a difficult task and did not rule out the possibility that he might not get a second chance to fight for the title.

Unlike Gukesh, who has largely withdrawn from tournaments to prepare for the match, Sindarov has chosen a different approach. The Candidates winner is maintaining a busy competitive schedule, with the Global Chess League next on his calendar, followed by the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand with the Uzbekistan national team. He plans to begin a full training camp for the match only after the Olympiad.

Sindarov said he understood his opponent’s approach. “As for Gukesh, I understand him,” he told The Indian Express, noting that the Indian player had competed in many tournaments last year and apparently did not feel psychologically comfortable, which may have led him to conclude that he needed to work on certain aspects of his preparation.

Sindarov currently leads the 2026–2027 FIDE Circuit standings following a successful year of competition.

The two future title-match opponents could meet even earlier at the upcoming Olympiad in Samarkand. Gukesh will lead India, while Sindarov will head Uzbekistan, the reigning champions. This could bring the two players to the board just weeks before their world championship match.

Both players have previously said they do not have a warm personal relationship.