Javokhir Sindarov is heading for a record total in the world championship Candidates in Pegeia, Cyprus, as the 20-year-old from Uzbekistan reaches today’s rest day with a two-point lead and just two rounds remaining.
Sindarov has dominated the field with a controlled display reminiscent of the old Soviet masters. His pre-game preparation has been impressive, several times accurately predicting what would appear on the board. On the rare occasions when he has been under pressure, as in Saturday’s 11th round against the world No 3 and US champion Fabiano Caruana, his defensive technique has been precise and assured.
Candidates open leaders after 12 of the 14 rounds: Sindarov (Uzbekistan) 9, Anish Giri (Netherlands) 7, Caruana (US) 6. Monday is the final rest day, but Giri has White against Sindarov in Tuesday’s penultimate round 13, so still has an opportunity to reduce his deficit to just a point at the start of Wednesday’s final round, with a remote chance of forcing a tie for first and a speed play-off.
Sindarov’s current total of six wins and no defeats is the best since the current Candidates format was introduced in 2013. Assuming nothing goes wrong in the final two rounds, the Uzbek will become the official challenger to an even younger opponent, India’s Gukesh Dommaraju, 19, whose reign as world champion has been disappointing, including a drop to 15th place in the latest ratings.
