Sindarov Breaks Away: Young Uzbek Star Dominates Candidates After Round 6

By a clear margin and with growing authority, Javokhir Sindarov has taken firm control of the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament after six rounds in Cyprus. Round 6 may not have produced a flurry of decisive games across the board, but it delivered the result that matters most: Sindarov keeps winning—and the rest are already struggling to keep pace. The 20-year-old Uzbek defeated Wei Yi to reach a remarkable 5.5/6, extending his lead to a full point and a half over Fabiano Caruana, who now sits alone in second place. A Leader in Full Control Sindarov’s performance is quickly becoming the story of the tournament. Not only is he scoring heavily, but he is doing so against the very players expected to challenge for first place. In just six rounds, he has already beaten: Fabiano Caruana Hikaru Nakamura Wei Yi This is not a lucky streak—it’s dominance. His style has been energetic, confident, and, above all, clinical when opportunities arise. At this pace, the tournament risks turning into a one-man race unless the chasing pack finds a way to halt his momentum soon. Round 6: Quiet Day, Big Consequences Elsewhere in Round 6, the remaining games ended peacefully: Praggnanandhaa vs Nakamura — draw Esipenko vs Caruana — draw Bluebaum vs Giri — draw On paper, a calm round. In reality, a decisive one. While the others exchanged cautious half-points, Sindarov once again pressed forward—and widened the gap. The Chasers Running Out of Time Caruana remains the closest contender, but already trails significantly. Behind him, the field is tightly packed but lacking momentum. With a double round-robin format of 14 rounds, there is still time—but not much room for error. The key question now is simple: Can anyone stop Sindarov before it’s too late? The Bigger Picture The Candidates Tournament determines who will challenge reigning World Champion Gukesh later this year, making every result critical. At the moment, however, the narrative is shifting from “who will win?” to “who can catch him?” If Sindarov maintains anything close to this form, the answer may be: no one. Verdict after Round 6: A leader in command, a field under pressure—and a tournament beginning to tilt decisively in one direction.