Sindorov closes in on Candidates title, dismisses online rumors

On April 12, the 12th round of the Candidates chess tournament currently being held in Cyprus took place. Uzbekistan’s grandmaster Javohir Sindorov, who is participating in the event, drew his game against U.S. player Hikaru Nakamura, bringing his total to nine points in the tournament.

Following this result, Sindorov now leads second-placed Anish Giri by two points. A draw in the next round would be enough for the Uzbek player to secure the tournament title. Moreover, if Giri loses or draws in round 13, Sindorov will become the winner regardless of his own results in the remaining rounds.

Speaking after the match against Nakamura, Sindorov shared his thoughts.

“Yesterday’s game was very important, and I was quite tired, so today’s draw is a good result. In the current situation, I didn’t see a reason to play a long and difficult game against Hikaru. That’s why I chose forced lines whenever possible. If he had wanted a long game, I was ready for that as well. But I expected him to opt for solid lines too. In fact, I had a feeling before the game that it would end in a quick draw.

Today I will get some rest. Maybe I’ll even play some Counter-Strike. In the final rounds, it’s important to play as solidly as possible. If someone tries to beat me and I have a chance, I will of course take it, but there is no need to force a win right now,” Sindorov said.

He also noted that he is not paying attention to recent discussions on social media about himself and Kazakhstani chess player Bibisara Assaubayeva, adding that such talk does not interest him.

For reference, Sindorov is set to face second-placed Giri in round 13 on April 14.

Earlier, photos of Sindorov with Assaubayeva, a three-time world champion in blitz chess, sparked widespread discussion online.

Ramazon Usanov