Candidates Chaos: Praggnanandhaa's Hopes Sink With Loss, Sindarov Pulls Clear

Last Updated:April 07, 2026, 23:46 IST

Praggnanandhaa’s title hopes take a hit after loss to Giri, while Sindarov extends his lead at the Candidates, edging closer to a shot at world champion Gukesh.

It was a day to forget for R Praggnanandhaa at the Candidates tournament, as the young Indian GM saw his hopes of a top finish take a serious hit following a defeat to Anish Giri in Round 8 on Tuesday.

Pragg Slips Up Against Anish Giri

Coming into the clash with momentum from an earlier win over Giri in Round 1, Praggnanandhaa couldn’t quite replicate that magic.

Playing the Vienna variation with the black pieces, the Indian neutralised early pressure and looked comfortably placed until it all unravelled.

A costly error on move 35 opened the door for Giri, who wasted no time in capitalising. Another misstep shortly after sealed Praggnanandhaa’s fate, handing him his second loss of the tournament and leaving him stuck on 3.5 points.

Sindarov Pulls Away at the Top

While Praggnanandhaa faltered, Javokhir Sindarov continued to set the pace. The Uzbek star played out a steady draw against Andrey Esipenko to move to 6.5 points, stretching his lead to a commanding two points with six rounds still to play.

At this stage, Sindarov looks firmly in control of the tournament, which will determine the next challenger to reigning world champion D Gukesh.

Barring a dramatic collapse, the race is now his to lose.

Chasing Pack Running Out of Time

Giri’s win lifts him to 4.5 points, level with Fabiano Caruana, but both remain two points adrift of the leader. With the tournament entering its final stretch, they will need something close to a miracle to close the gap.

Praggnanandhaa, meanwhile, finds himself in a crowded mid-table battle alongside Wei Yi, Matthias Bluebaum, and Hikaru Nakamura — all tied on 3.5 points.

Nakamura was among the day’s big winners, defeating compatriot Caruana in a crucial encounter, while Wei Yi and Bluebaum settled for a draw.

Women’s Section: R Vaishali Stays in the Hunt

In the women’s draw, R Vaishali kept herself firmly in contention with a solid draw against Bibisara Assaubayeva. Kateryna Lagno joined her on 4.5 points after defeating Aleksandra Goryachkina.

At the top, Anna Muzychuk looked set to maintain her narrow lead, while Zhu Jiner appeared poised to deliver a decisive blow in her clash against Tan Zhongyi.

(with PTI inputs)

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