Candidates Round 13: Sindarov Clinches, Assaubayeva Catches Vaishali as Zhu Stumbles

GM Javokhir Sindarov completed his historic run at the 2026 FIDE Candidates, winning the event with a round to spare.

The handshake that sealed Sindarov's tournament victory. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Niki Riga)

The 20-year-old will challenge 19-year-old World Champion GM Gukesh Dommaraju for the crown later in the year in what will be the youngest World Championship match in history.

All eyes were on Giri – Sindarov from the start of Tuesday's round. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Sindarov’s penultimate game against his closest rival, GM Anish Giri, was a very solid game, which was exactly what he needed.

Sindarov with commentator GM Jan Gustafsson after his game. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Giri, on the other hand, needed to beat Sindarov, win his final game, and have Sindarov lose his final game just to finish tied for first.

Sindarov and Klein — After his event-clinching draw, Sindarov was greeted by Chess.com's FM Mike Klein, emcee Zachary Saine, and Bibisara Assaubayeva (and her mother). (Photos courtesy FIDE/Niki Riga and FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Sindarov and Saine — After his event-clinching draw, Sindarov was greeted by Chess.com's FM Mike Klein, emcee Zachary Saine, and Bibisara Assaubayeva (and her mother). (Photos courtesy FIDE/Niki Riga and FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Although GM Fabiano Caruana was mathematically out of contention going into the round, he showed his great fighting spirit by sacrificing a piece for three pawns and a dangerous attack.

Although Caruana – Praggnanandhaa was not relevant to first place, Caruana gave it his all. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

He played an excellent game up until move 40, when a fatal mistake put an end to his winning chances.

Graphic courtesy of FIDE

The Women’s Candidates remains wide open. There is even a mathematical possibility of a five-way tie for first after today’s final round (if both co-leaders lose).

Graphic courtesy of FIDE

Going into the round, GM Zhu Jiner was one of the co-leaders along with GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. Her game against GM Aleksandra Goryachkina was extremely complex and full of interesting nuances and ideas.

Aleksandra Goryachkina delivered a clutch victory to maintain mathematical chances of joining a multi-way tie for first. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Niki Riga)

The engine is critical of quite a few decisions by the players, but the reader should keep in mind that the alternative engine lines in this game are extremely difficult and sometimes downright unreasonable.

Zhu Jiner continued a tournament trend of leaders losing games on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Zhu’s devastating loss puts her in third place, while Vaishali survived a slight scare but managed to draw to race ahead of her former co-leader.

Vaishali Rameshbabu (R)'s draw was enough to maintain her share of the lead entering the final round. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Niki Riga)

Vaishali is joined by GM Bibisara Assaubayeva, who defeated GM Anna Muzychuk in an important game.

Only a few days ago, Muzychuk (R) was leading the event, but yesterday it was Assaubayeva who took a share of the lead. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Niki Riga)

Assaubayeva won a pawn early in the game and was pressing for a long time in an endgame with the opposite-colored bishops. The crucial mistake came on move 32:

GM Kateryna Lagno remains a point behind the two leaders after grinding down GM Divya Deshmukh.

Lagno (L)'s win over Divya kept her mathematical chances of tying for first alive. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

With the Open already decided, all eyes will be on the Women’s. Round 14 will be another action-packed day, with tiebreaks potentially to follow the next day.

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