Sindarov outplays Nakamura to stay ahead in Candidates Tournament 

Javokhir Sindarov secured another impressive victory on April 3, defeating American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura in the fifth round of the Candidates Tournament.

Despite playing with the black pieces, Sindarov once again demonstrated strong opening preparation, quickly gaining the initiative and placing his opponent under pressure. Nakamura found himself in a difficult position early in the game and spent more than 67 minutes calculating a single move, which ultimately left him at a significant disadvantage on the clock.

Sindarov capitalized on this time edge and maintained control throughout the match. As the pressure mounted, Nakamura was eventually forced to resign, handing the Uzbek grandmaster another crucial win.

🇺🇿 Javokhir Sindarov beats world #2 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura in Round 5 of the FIDE Candidates 2026 to maintain at least a full point lead!#FIDECandidates #FIDE #Chess #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/qtOUZmMrPq

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) April 3, 2026

With this result, Sindarov now leads the tournament standings with 4.5 points out of a possible five, continuing his remarkable performance against some of the world’s strongest players.

The victory has also had an impact on the global rankings. Sindarov gained additional rating points and climbed to fifth place in the world rankings. Notably, two Uzbek players, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov, are now ranked among the world’s top five chess players.