Candidates Round 10: Sindarov’s Charge Shows No Sign of Stopping

Round 10 of the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus once again belonged to Javokhir Sindarov. The Uzbek grandmaster defeated Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu with the black pieces in a sharp, high-tension battle, collecting his sixth win of the event. Even more impressive, Sindarov remains undefeated. Having started the day with a 1.5-point lead, the young star did not choose safety; instead, he steered the game into complex territory from the opening, willingly accepting an imbalanced material structure and dynamic play.

That decision perfectly reflects the kind of chess Sindarov has shown throughout the tournament. Deep opening preparation, confident decision-making, active piece play and an excellent sense for tactical opportunities have been the key features of his campaign. Praggnanandhaa managed to stay in the game for a long time and retained defensive chances in a complicated position, but the critical mistake 22...Bd7?? changed everything. White’s powerful tactical sequence, beginning with 23.Rf7! Qxf7 24.Rxf7 Kxf7 25.Qf4+, left the black king exposed. Although Black appeared to be holding material together for a moment, White’s ability to gain tempi and eventually pick up the bishop turned the position into a technically winning one. The variation was a reminder not only of how costly a single inaccuracy can be, but also of how decisive the initiative is in sharp positions.

With this result, Sindarov restored his lead to two full points with four rounds still to play. In an event as demanding as the Candidates, where the psychological pressure is immense, such an advantage matters far beyond the standings. A leader who keeps winning forces his pursuers to take greater risks in their own games. Sindarov’s performance so far suggests not merely good form, but the profile of a player emerging as a truly serious contender on the road to the world championship.

The other three games of the round all ended in draws. Anish Giri, Sindarov’s closest chaser, had a valuable chance with the white pieces against Hikaru Nakamura, but Nakamura adopted a solid and controlled approach from the very start and never allowed the balance to shift significantly. Fabiano Caruana also shared the point, so the picture at the top remained largely unchanged: Giri stays alone in second place, while Sindarov heads into the final stretch with a major advantage. The remaining rounds will now be defined not only by chess quality, but also by how the leader handles the pressure and how far the chasing pack is willing to gamble.