The Week in Chess

• Sindarov almost home and dry in the FIDE Candidates with four rounds to go - 10

  Javokhir Sindarov put the disappointment of missing a win against Bluebaum in Round 9 and won a fine game against Praggnanandhaa, this restored a two point lead with only four rounds to go. Sindarov said his coach told him that he was playing the best chess and not to worry. In post-game analysis he was so precise it was obvious what great form he's in, a level above anyone else here. It's of course possible Caruana could beat him with the white pieces in Round 11 and Giri in Round 13, but at this stage it seems unlikely, he's simply seeing too much, even then Giri would have to score almost perfectly to even catch him. The other games were drawn. Friday is a rest day.

  In the Women's event Rameshbabu Vaishali leads after holding a draw against Anna Muzychuk but she's hardly been convincing, in fact no-one has, it's still so close that anyone in the top 6 could realistically win it.

  Round 10 (of 14) Standings: 1st Javokhir Sindarov, 8/10. 2nd Anish Giri, 6. 3rd Fabiano Caruana, 5. 4th-6th...

• 26th European Individual Championship 2026 - Games and Results

  The 26th European Individual Championship takes place 6th (arrival day) to 20th April 2026.

  Players: Igor Kovalenko, David Anton Guijarro, Daniel Deac Bogdan Aydin Suleymanli, Shant Sargsyan, David Navara, Alexander Donchenko, Anton Demchenko, Ediz Gurel, Haik Martirosyan Buhl Bjerre Jonas Robert Hovhannisyan, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Maxime Lagarde, Gabriel Sargissian, Aleksandar Indjic, Anton Korobov, Jaime Santos Latasa, MarcAndria Maurizzi, Mahammad Muradli, Lorenzo Lodici, Maxim Rodshtein, Maxim Dardha Ihor Samunenkov, Daniil Yuffa, Szymon Gumularz, Casper Schoppen, Constantin Lupulescu, Nijat Abasov, Elham Amar, Manuel Petrosyan, Bartosz Socko, Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis, Mustafa Yilmaz, Alan Pichot, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli, Peter Acs, Valery Kazakouski, Vaclav Finek, Gleb Dudin etc.

• Sindarov misses a big opportunity and Giri beats Caruana in Candidates Round 9 - 9

  The 9th Round of the FIDE Candidates tournament in Cyprus saw some very consequent action. First of all the leader by two points Javokhir Sindarov missed a clear winning chance against Matthias Bluebaum and had to settle for a draw. No disaster but nevertheless a chance. Fabiano Caruana dropped out of contention when he lost to Anish Giri, who is now 1.5 points behind Sindarov and is surely the only player that can catch the leader.

  In the women's event there was another very wild day that finished with Zhu Jiner and Rameshbabu Vaishali sharing the lead, Anna Muzychuk missed a chance to join them.

  Round 9 (of 14) Standings: 1st Javokhir Sindarov, 7/9. 2nd Anish Giri, 5½. 3rd-5th Matthias Bluebaum, R Praggnanandhaa and Yi Wei, 4. 6th Fabiano Caruana, 4½. 7th Hikaru Nakamura, 3½. 8th Andrey Esipenko, 2½. 8 players. FIDE Women Candidates DRR.

  Round 9 (of 14) Standings: 1st-2nd Jiner Zhu and Rameshbabu Vaishali, 5½/9. 3rd Anna Muzychuk, 5. 4th-5th Bibisara Assaubayeva and Aleksandra...

• Sindarov extends his lead to two points in the Candidates even after a draw in Round 8 - 8

  Javokhir Sindarov is in the poll position of the FIDE Candidates in Cyprus after drawing with Andrey Esipenko in Round 8 and moving to 6.5/8. Sindarov was barely troubled in the first game to finish. Sindarov's closest challenger was Fabiano Caruana but he was defeated by a determined Hikaru Nakamura. Anish Giri joined Caruana in a tie for second place two points behind Sindarov after beating Praggnanandhaa, the gap is still a bit too far to make Giri optimistic but he's in touch if Sindarov starts to lose. Wei Yi drew against Bluebaum in the other game.

  The women's event was blown wide open by an extraordinary reversal of fortunes for Anna Muzychuk in her game against Divya Deshmukh. Muzychuk was heading for victory on move 40, she chose second best and only a few moves later the position was equal, she missed something else and lost the game. That meant five of the eight players are tied for the lead.

  Open Round 8 (of 14) Standings: 1st Javokhir Sindarov, 6½/8. 2nd-3rd Anish Giri and...

• Javokhir Sindarov leads the FIDE Candidates by 1.5 points at the half way stage - 7

  Javokhir Sindarov has finished the first half of the FIDE Candidates on 6/7 following a draw against Anish Giri. Although Sindarov was better Giri's defence was very accurate and really there didn't seem to be any winning chances.

  The only decisive game of the day was when Wei Yi took advantage of a gruesome blunder by Andrey Esipenko, this was a case of Esipenko mixing up his move order in a sharp position and being left with a position that was basically unplayable. Bluebaum vs Nakamura and Praggnanandhaa vs Caruana were both drawn in games not without interest.

  In the Women's event Anna Muzychuk still leads, Rameshbabu Vaishali hasn't looked all that convincing but two days of turn arounds mean that instead of being potentially out of it she's just half a point behind the leader.

  FIDE Women Candidates Round 7 (of 14) Standings: 1st Javokhir Sindarov, 5½/7. 2nd Fabiano Caruana, 4. 3rd-4th R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri, 3. 5th Matthias Bluebaum, 2½. 6th-8th Andrey...

• Sindarov in danger of running away with the Candidates after he moves to 5.5/6 - 6

  Javokhir Sindarov won yet again to move to 5.5/6 and revive memories of Veselin Topalov's 6.5/7 in the first half of the World Championship tournament in San Luis in 2005 (and as Anand admitted, the only person to draw, he saved a lost position), there in exactly the same format, Topalov cruised to victory by drawing the entirity of the second half of the tournament. Whilst Sindarov is on fire, and just looking and feeling in total control, he's only a point and a half clear of Fabiano Caruana at the moment. As stunning as his performance is, he's not yet a certainty, but the performance has been mind blowing. Today he survived some testing moments against Wei Yi, never seemed in real trouble, he didn't even have to be really accurate to take advantage of Wei Yi's time trouble and nerves.

  In the women's event Anna Muzychuk now leads alone on 4/6 a point clear of most of the rest of the field. That definitely doesn't feel in any way settled as the chess is both exciting and...

• Sindarov and Caruana both win in Candidates Round 5 - 5

  Javokhir Sindarov continues to lead the FIDE Candidates in Cyprus by a point after crushing Hikaru Nakamura with the black pieces. Even at this early stage it's already looking like it's going to be a fight between Sindarov and Fabiano Caruana, they're the only two looking in great form. Caruana overpowered the hitherto undefeated Matthias Bluebaum, he also made the win look very easy. Sindarov's 4.5/5 start is exceptional, that said there are a number of players already looking out of form, so points may be easier to come by that in some Candidates tournaments. The other games were drawn.

  The women's event looks far harder to predict. Leader Anna Muzychuk had a quiet draw with Aleksandra Goryachkina and was caught on 3/5 by Kateryna Lagno (beating Bibisara Assaubayeva) and Jiner Zhu who beat Rameshbabu Vaishali. Only a point separates first and last so everyone is still very much in it.

  FIDE Candidates: Round 5 (of 14) Standings: 1st Javokhir Sindarov, 4½/5. 2nd Fabiano Caruana, 3½....