The unstoppable Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan made another stride towards the title as he beat India's R Praggnanandhaa to stretch his lead to a massive two points after the end of the tenth round of Candidates chess tournament on Thursday.
The 20-year-old from Chennai, who currently occupies the third spot with Anish Giri after logging 3.5 points in seven rounds, just has another seven rounds to turn the tide at the halfway stage.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa played out a quick and easy draw with Hikaru Nakamura of United States while Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan continued with his winning ways as he beat Wei Yi of China in the sixth round of the Candidates chess tournament on Saturday.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa played out a draw against Matthias Bluebaum of Germany in the fourth round in the open section of the FIDE Candidates Tournament on Wednesday.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa kicked off his campaign at the prestigious Candidates Tournament by breaking through the defenses of Dutchman Anish Giri to secure a full point.
Defending champion R Praggnanandhaa lost his second game in as many days, going down to Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan, even as D Gukesh was held to a draw by Netherlands' Jorden van Foreest in the Tata Steel Masters Chess.
Top seed ArjunErigaisiscored a convincing victory over compatriot R Praggnanandhaa,while World Champion D Gukesh played out a hard-fought draw against World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan in the first round of the Tata Steel Masters.
International Chess Federation (FIDE) vice president and Indian great Viswanathan Anand believes that this year's world championship can happen in Chennai if R Praggnanandhaa wins the Candidates Tournament.
"Vishy's children are on the loose" is a famous quote by chess legend Garry Kasparov, referring to the incredible rise of young Indian chess prodigies.
The first-ever Dharavi Schools Chess Championship 2025 brought together community, education, and sport in a compelling way, setting a new benchmark for youth engagement in one of India's most densely populated neighbourhoods.