Sindarov’s coach eyes world title and 2800 rating after Candidates victory

“This isn’t the biggest achievement yet. We have completed the second of four stages in our plan – first qualifying for the Candidates, then winning it. Now we move to the third stage: the World Championship match. The toughest will be the fourth – reaching a 2800 rating and consistently dominating tournaments, as Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen once did,” he stated.

Vidonyak emphasized that reaching the pinnacle of the chess world will require patience. He noted that while Kasparov and Carlsen were already fully developed at a similar age, Sindarov is still progressing. According to the coach, at least two more years of intensive work are needed to reach that elite level.

Outlining their unique training approach, Vidonyak revealed that they have held nine training camps over the past year, primarily in Munich, with each lasting 10-14 days. “We typically work without computers, using a physical board, and systematically go through around 40,000 exercises I have prepared across different topics. The goal is to develop the player’s own thinking,” Vidonyak explained.

Since Vidonyak began working with Sindarov in early 2025, the Uzbek grandmaster has seen a meteoric rise. Under his guidance, Sindarov won the FIDE World Cup, finished as the runner-up at the Tata Steel Chess tournament, and secured an early victory at the Candidates Tournament.

The 20-year-old is now preparing to face the reigning world champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, for the world title in a match expected to take place this December.