Sindarov Opens FIDE Candidates Tournament With Victory

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov made a strong start at the FIDE Candidates Tournament, held in Cyprus from 29 March to 15 April, securing a victory in the opening round.

Sindarov’s participation marks a milestone for Uzbekistan, as it is the first time a representative of the country is competing in one of the most prestigious events on the global chess calendar, whose winner earns the right to challenge the reigning world champion.

In the first-round game, Sindarov, playing with the white pieces, defeated Russian grandmaster Andrey Esipenko. The match proved challenging for the Uzbek player, whose position at one stage was considered inferior. Nevertheless, he managed to turn the tide through active play and sustained pressure on his opponent.

In the decisive phase, Sindarov was under severe time pressure, with only seconds remaining on the clock, but still found precise moves. A mistake by Esipenko in the endgame ultimately shifted the balance, and the Russian player resigned on move 41. Commenting on the result, Sindarov admitted he had an unsuccessful opening and at times feared a possible defeat.

In the second round, the Uzbek grandmaster will face Germany’s Matthias Blübaum, once again playing with the white pieces. Esipenko, meanwhile, is set to meet one of the tournament favorites, American Hikaru Nakamura.

The opening-round victory places Sindarov among the early leaders of the standings and gives him an important psychological advantage. Most games in the first round ended in draws, although several encounters remained tense, with Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa coming close to defeating Anish Giri, and Fabiano Caruana holding an advantage against Hikaru Nakamura.

The second round will take place on Monday, where Sindarov will aim to build on his successful start and consolidate his position among the tournament leaders.