Candidates 2026: How Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali and Divya's chances stack up at the halfway mark At the midpoint of the FIDE Candidates 2026 tournaments in Cyprus, the competition has revealed stark contrasts between the men’s and women’s sections. In the open category, Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has surged ahead with a commanding lead, while the women’s tournament remains a tightly contested battle among top-tier players. Indian participants Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali, and Divya Deshmukh are all vying for positions that could secure their spots in the World Championship match, though their prospects vary significantly. In the men’s section, Sindarov’s dominance is undeniable. After seven rounds, the 25-year-old has accumulated six points from five wins and two draws, putting him in a position of near-certainty to claim the title. His performance has left the rest of the field struggling to keep pace, with Praggnanandhaa, the Indian prodigy, trailing by 2.5 points. The young player, who has already made a name for himself in international chess, now faces an uphill battle. With a score of 3.5 points from seven games—comprising one win, one loss, and five draws—Praggnanandhaa’s path to the final is fraught with challenges. Analysts suggest that unless Sindarov experiences a catastrophic collapse in the second half of the tournament, Praggnanandhaa’s chances are minimal. The Indian’s next critical opportunity lies in his upcoming game against Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri, where he will play as Black. This match, scheduled for the start of the second half, could provide the momentum needed to keep his hopes alive. However, Praggnanandhaa has not won a game since his opening-day victory over Giri, raising concerns about his ability to break his losing streak.#anna_muzychuk #divya_deshmukh #fide_candidates_2026 #praggnanandhaa #vaishali
Candidates: Javokhir Sindarov Continues to Surge Ahead Javokhir Sindarov, the 20-year-old Uzbek chess prodigy, maintained his dominant position in the Candidates tournament after securing his fourth consecutive win on Friday. The eight-player, 14-round event saw Sindarov leap to 4.5 points following five rounds, solidifying his lead over the competition. His victory over Hikaru Nakamura, the American grandmaster, marked a pivotal moment in the tournament, as Nakamura’s defeat not only cost him a potential upset but also diminished the chances of other top contenders like R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri. Nakamura, who entered the tournament with a reputation for disrupting rival strategies, faced a challenging match against Sindarov. Despite Nakamura’s efforts to secure a speculative advantage, Sindarov’s consistent play and tactical precision proved too much. The loss left Nakamura in a precarious position, as his defeat meant that the half points earned by Praggnanandhaa and Giri in the same round against Andrey Esipenki and Wei Yi respectively became less impactful. Both Praggnanandhaa and Giri now trail Sindarov by two full points, requiring four more decisive wins in the remaining rounds to remain in contention. Sindarov’s performance was further highlighted by his comments during a Chess24 webcast, where he emphasized his disciplined approach to the game. “I’m always playing solid. With white, I am playing for two results (win or draw); with black I don’t want to push (stretch things). I’m in a very good situation right now,” he said, underscoring his confidence in maintaining his lead. The tournament’s first half is still in progress, but Sindarov’s strong start has positioned him as the clear favorite to advance to the next stage.#hikaru_nakamura #praggnanandhaa #javokhir_sindarov #anish_giri #andrey_esipenki
FIDE Candidates 2026: Praggnanandhaa Draws, Sindarov Takes Lead, Divya Suffers Defeat R Praggnanandhaa maintained his position in the FIDE Candidates 2026 tournament after securing a draw against Matthias Blübaum in the fourth round. The Indian grandmaster, who had previously lost to Javokhir Sindarov in the third round, opted for the Slav Defence in his fourth game, a choice that minimized pressure on his side. The game progressed without significant complications, resulting in a draw after 37 moves through a three-fold repetition. Both Praggnanandhaa and Blübaum now share 2 points, having drawn all four of their games so far. Anish Giri also joined them on 2 points after his win against Andrey Esipenko. Despite the draw, Praggnanandhaa’s standing in the tournament has worsened compared to the end of Round 3. With 2 points in four rounds, he trails Javokhir Sindarov, who has surged to the top of the standings. Sindarov’s victory over Fabiano Caruana in the fourth round gave him 3.5 points, a full point ahead of Caruana, who now sits second with 2.5 points. The Uzbek player’s dominance has positioned him as the clear leader, with his recent wins against Esipenko, Praggnanandhaa, and Caruana solidifying his lead. The remaining ten rounds will be critical for the other contenders to challenge Sindarov’s position. The Open section’s Round 4 results highlighted several key developments. Sindarov’s win over Caruana extended his lead, while Wei Yi and Hikaru Nakamura drew their game, keeping Nakamura at 1.5 points. Esipenko’s loss to Giri left him at 1 point, while Blübaum and Praggnanandhaa remained tied at 2 points. The standings after Round 4 showed Sindarov at the top, followed by Caruana, Praggnanandhaa, and Blübaum.#divya_deshmukh #fide_candidates_2026 #praggnanandhaa #javokhir_sindarov #zhu_jiner
