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Javokhir Sindarov caps off a historic Candidates run with 10/14 — the best ever in the format — setting up a blockbuster World Championship clash with Gukesh.
Javokhir Sindarov (Credit: FIDE Media)
Just when you thought Javokhir Sindarov had done enough, he found another way to raise the bar.
Fresh off sealing the 2026 Candidates title, the Uzbek prodigy capped off his campaign with a composed draw against Wei Yi — taking his final tally to a staggering 10 points out of 14.
That marks the highest ever points scored in a single Candidates campaign. Better than Gukesh, better than Nepomniachtchi, and even better than Carlsen himself.
A Campaign for the Ages
Sindarov had already clinched the tournament with a win over Anish Giri in the previous round. But there was no easing off.
His final numbers? Six wins, eight draws, zero losses. An undefeated run.
And those six wins were enough for him to also break the record for the most wins recorded in a FIDE Candidates tournament (open category) in the currently used double-round-robin format.
And now, Sindarov has registered the highest points tally in the Candidates since the modern eight-player double round-robin format was introduced in 2013.
To put that into perspective, Ian Nepomniachtchi’s 9.5-point haul in 2022 was the previous benchmark.
Best Performances in FIDE Candidates (Most Points Scored In A Single Campaign Since 2013):
- Javokhir Sindarov (2026): 10 points
- Ian Nepomniachtchi (2022): 9.5 points
- Fabiano Caruana (2018): 9 points
- Gukesh Dommaraju (2024): 9 points
- Magnus Carlsen (2013): 8.5 points
- Vladimir Kramnik (2013): 8.5 points’
- Viswanathan Anand (2014): 8.5 points
- Sergey Karjakin (2016): 8.5 points
The list of past Candidates winners reads like a who’s who of modern chess — Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand — but none have managed a 10-point campaign in this format.
Even reigning world champion D Gukesh secured his 2024 Candidates title with nine points. Sindarov, by comparison, made it look almost routine.
Next: A Historic Showdown
Sindarov will face Gukesh later this year in what promises to be a generational clash, with both players just 20 years old.
It will be the youngest World Championship match in history.
April 15, 2026, 11:48 PM IST
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