Uzbek chess player Javokhir Sindarov began the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament with a victory, defeating Russian grandmaster Andrey Esipenko in the first round. The tournament is being held in Cyprus from March 29 to April 15 and determines the challenger for the World Chess Championship.
Sindarov’s win is a historic achievement for Uzbekistan, as he is the first representative of the country to participate in the Candidates Tournament.
In the game, Sindarov played with the white pieces and faced a challenging position early on, with computer evaluations favoring his opponent. However, he maintained active play and capitalized on a mistake by Esipenko. On move 41, Esipenko conceded.
Following the first round, Sindarov leads the tournament standings and gains a psychological advantage over other competitors. In the second round, he is scheduled to play German grandmaster Matthias Blubaum with White. Esipenko will face American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura.
The 2026 Candidates Tournament features eight of the world’s top grandmasters, including Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and debutant Sindarov.
The competition is conducted in a double round-robin format over 14 rounds with classic time control. A draw is not permitted until move 40. The total prize fund is €500,000, with the winner receiving €48,000. Each participant earns an additional €3,500 for every half-point scored.
The overall winner will earn the right to challenge reigning World Champion Dommaraj Gukesh of India for the chess title.
