Caruana Stumbles, Sindarov Leads, and Muzychuk Joins Assaubayeva Entering Rest day

Round 4 of the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament marked the first clear separation in the standings, as GM Javokhir Sindarov emerged as the sole leader heading into the rest day in the Open.

With a convincing victory over GM Fabiano Caruana, the 20-year-old Uzbek grandmaster has suddenly become the center of attention.

Meanwhile, the Women's Candidates race remains tighter. A gutsy win by GM Anna Muzychuk over GM Kateryna Lagno saw her join GM Bibisara Assaubayeva atop the standings, but four players trail by only a half-point.

Open: Sindarov Leads

For American fans, it was a challenging day. Caruana’s loss cost him his share of first place, though he remains tied for second, albeit a full point back. Additionally, GM Hikaru Nakamura pressed for a win, but he was unable to convert his chances and is currently tied for sixth.

Sindarov Seizes the Moment

The key matchup of the round saw co-leaders Caruana and Sindarov facing off. Out of the opening, Sindarov steered the game into a position where his play was easier and more natural, while Caruana was left searching and spending time on precise decisions.

The tense game between Sindarov and Caruana. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Rather than a single decisive blow, the game was defined by sustained pressure. Sindarov gradually improved his position, and as the position became more difficult to handle, Caruana was pushed onto the defensive. Two inaccuracies proved enough, and Sindarov converted his advantage with impressive control.

Sindarov interviewed by Chess.com's Mike Klein after an impressive victory. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

The game also highlighted the growing role of deep preparation at the highest level. In a post-game interview, Sindarov shared that he and his team had anticipated Caruana’s approach and reviewed the critical lines in detail, noting that he knew the position “until move 16.” This allowed him to play quickly and confidently in the early phase, including executing a key tactical idea on move 14 that had been prepared in advance.

This win gives Sindarov not only the sole lead, but also a significant psychological boost — back-to-back victories against top contenders signal that he is not just participating, but shaping the tournament.

Sindarov with fans after his victory. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

While the result is a setback, Caruana remains very much in contention. With many rounds still ahead, the ability to reset and respond will be key.

Giri Strikes Back

GM Anish Giri bounced back from his first-round loss in style, defeating GM Andrey Esipenko with the black pieces in a sharp Sicilian Najdorf. The game quickly became double-edged, with both players willing to take risks.

Giri before his bounce-back victory on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Yoav Nis)

At a critical moment, Esipenko chose a continuation that allowed Giri to seize the initiative. From there, Giri handled the complications confidently, converting his advantage without giving counterplay.

With this win, Giri returns to an even score and re-enters the conversation in a tightly contested field.

Nakamura Presses, Others Hold

With the black pieces against GM Wei Yi, Nakamura equalized comfortably out of the opening, and the game drifted into what looked like a routine draw. In a double rook endgame with three pawns each on the kingside, a draw seemed only moments away.

Then, just before the time control, everything changed. Under pressure and with only 40 seconds on the clock, Wei suddenly went wrong, opening the door for Nakamura.

Sensing his chance, Nakamura pushed, steadily building pressure and playing for the full point. For a moment, it felt like the game had completely turned. But the critical winning idea slipped away, and Wei managed to regroup, finding a precise defensive setup. The opportunity was gone, and the game ultimately ended in a draw.

GMs Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Matthias Bluebaum also split the point in a quieter game. Bluebaum remains solid, drawing all four of his games so far, while Praggnanandhaa stabilizes after a difficult Round 3 loss to Sindarov.

These games serve as a reminder that, in the Candidates, even small advantages are difficult to convert — precision under pressure is everything.

A Clear Leader Before the Break

After four rounds, Sindarov stands alone at the top, with Caruana now leading the chasing group. The rest day arrives at a critical moment, offering leaders a chance to consolidate and those behind an opportunity to reset.

One thing is already clear: the tournament has a focal point. The question now is whether the field can catch him.

Graphic courtesy of FIDE

From a practical standpoint, Round 4 is a great illustration of how elite games are often decided — not by one brilliant move, but by consistent pressure and small advantages handled well.

Women’s Candidates: Race Tightens

After four rounds, the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament remains extremely tight, with two co-leaders at the top and a group of four players just half a point behind — making it far more closely contested than the open section.

Muzychuk Risks Twice to Take the Full Point

On Wednesday, Muzychuk was at the center of the action. Entering the tournament as a late replacement after GM Humpy Koneru withdrew due to safety concerns, Muzychuk described the opportunity as both unexpected and meaningful — and she is making the most of it.

Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza.

Facing Lagno, Muzychuk approached the game with ambition from the very beginning. Opposite-side castling created complications early on. The fire was lit with a positional piece sacrifice that reflected her willingness to take risks. Later in the game, at a critical moment, she made a second risky decision to avoid repetition and keep the fight alive. Her persistence was rewarded. Lagno immediately blundered, and Muzychuk converted with confidence.

Muzychuk with fans after her win. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

This victory not only adds to Muzychuk’s score but also strengthens her presence in the tournament narrative as an unexpected entrant now fully in contention.

Muzychuk during her post-game analysis. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Zhu Converts with Control

GM Zhu Jiner also secured a full point, taking advantage of GM Divya Deshmukh’s imprecisions in the opening and resulting complex middlegame.

Pre-tournament favorite Zhu Jiner is back in the mix after Wednesday's win. (Photo courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza)

At a key moment, Divya missed the necessary Exchange sacrifice that would have maintained balance. From there, Zhu seized her chance, winning a central pawn and transitioning into a clearly favorable position. Once ahead, she showed excellent technique by limiting counterplay and steadily increasing the pressure.

With this win, Zhu joins the group of four players just half a point behind co-leaders Assaubayeva and Muzychuk.

Solid Play in the Remaining Games

The other two games of the round ended in draws, though not without their own moments of tension. Both encounters featured competitive play, but neither side was able to generate enough to break through.

These results further underline the competitive balance in the field — while some players are pushing aggressively for wins, others are holding firm, keeping the standings tightly packed heading into the rest day.

Graphic courtesy of FIDE

Play resumes Friday, April 3 at 8:45 a.m. EDT. Sindarov plays Black against Nakamura in a critical game for the shape of the tournament, while Muzychuk and Assaubayeva both play as Black against Goryachkina and Lagno, respectively.

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