The key facts
- Sindarov scored 20.5 points, finishing ahead of Praggnanandhaa, Caruana and Nakamura
- On the final day he erased a 2.5-point deficit by winning three games
- The match against Gukesh will take place in Geneva from November 22 to December 12, with a prize fund of at least $2.5 million
Victory in Saint Louis
Grandmaster of Uzbekistan Javokhir Sindarov commented on his victory at the Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown tournament, held on October 27–29 in Saint Louis. Over three days, the 20-year-old chess player scored 20.5 points, finishing ahead of India's Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (19) and the Americans Fabiano Caruana (16.5) and Hikaru Nakamura (12). Including prize money and bonuses, his earnings amounted to $168,000. This was reported by Gazeta citing the chess player's interviews with Lichess and the Saint Louis Chess Club.
“A match is a completely different tournament”
Sindarov emphasized that this victory holds special significance for him, as the tournament was his last before the world championship match: “I tried to enjoy chess at my last tournament before the match, because I know the match will be very tough.” The Lichess host recalled that reigning champion Dommaraju Gukesh finished last at this tournament in 2025 and asked whether Sindarov's result could be seen as a prediction. The grandmaster replied that he “believes in good moves and does not believe in such factors,” but admitted that beating such a strong field gives him confidence — while noting that the match requires “a completely different kind of concentration.”
A brilliant final day
On the final day, Sindarov won three games and drew three, erasing a 2.5-point deficit to the leader Praggnanandhaa. He singled out his game with the black pieces against Nakamura, in which, playing the King's Indian Defense, he sacrificed a bishop and twice gave up a rook for a minor piece: in his words, it was “one of the best King's Indian Defense games of my life.” He also called his drawn game against Caruana, in which he ran short of time, fantastic, and described his win over Praggnanandhaa — achieved while his own king was in an unsafe position — as important. As motivation that morning, the chess player said, an Instagram video served, in which commentators Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley called him the favorite.
What lies ahead
The world championship match between Sindarov and Gukesh will take place in Geneva from November 22 to December 12, 2026, with the first game on November 24. The match consists of a maximum of 14 classical games; 7.5 points are needed to win early, and in the event of a tied score a tiebreak will be held on December 12. The prize fund is at least $2.5 million. Sindarov earned the right to the match by winning the 2026 Candidates Tournament in Cyprus (10 points out of 14, first place with a round to spare). Gukesh has held the crown since December 2024, when he defeated Ding Liren. Both participants are 20 years old, and according to FIDE, this will be the youngest world championship match in chess history.
