Historic Breakthrough: Uzbek Chess Player Sets Candidates Tournament Record and Moves Closer to the World Crown.
Twenty-year-old Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov secured an early victory in the Candidates Tournament currently being held in Cyprus.
Sindarov became the first representative of Uzbekistan to win the Candidates Tournament, the premier qualifying event of the World Chess Championship cycle.
In the 13th round, the Uzbek grandmaster drew with Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri, bringing his total to 9.5 points. The result was enough to secure overall victory with one round remaining.
Sindarov also set a record in the modern format of the Candidates Tournament, which has been in place since 2013. During the event, he scored six wins — more than any other participant in the history of the current format.
By winning the Candidates Tournament, the Uzbek grandmaster earned the right to challenge reigning World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh in a match for the world chess crown.
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