Candidates Clash: Sindarov Pulls Ahead, Caruana Slips Back

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The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 is getting more exciting with every round. Round 6 brought big wins, surprises, and intense battles.

Sindarov Continues His Dream Run

Javokhir Sindarov is in शानदार form. He defeated Wei Yi to score his fifth win in six games. This victory helped him extend his lead at the top. The game started as a Vienna Game but soon turned into a Bishop’s Opening. Wei Yi tried a fresh idea, but Sindarov handled the position confidently.

Even though Sindarov was slightly worse at one point, he stayed calm. He took control when his opponent ran into time trouble and converted his advantage smoothly.

Caruana Held to a Draw

Fabiano Caruana needed a win but could only draw against Andrey Esipenko.

Caruana chose the Reti Opening to create winning chances. However, Esipenko played very accurately and never allowed complications. With this result, Caruana now trails Sindarov by 1.5 points.

Nakamura vs Praggnanandhaa Ends Quietly

Hikaru Nakamura faced R Praggnanandhaa in an important game. The Nimzo-Indian Defence appeared for the first time in the tournament. Praggnanandhaa equalised comfortably.

Both players agreed to a draw by repetition on move 23, keeping things balanced.

Giri vs Bluebaum: Long Fight Ends in Draw

Anish Giri played against Matthias Bluebaum. The game followed a Queen’s Gambit Declined structure. Bluebaum had to defend a difficult position with weak pawns.

He showed excellent technique and held the game for 84 moves to secure a draw.

Women’s Candidates: Muzychuk Takes the Lead

In the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026, Anna Muzychuk is now the sole leader. She defeated Zhu Jiner with the black pieces in a strong attacking game.

Muzychuk sacrificed material at the right moment and launched a decisive attack.

Goryachkina Misses Her Chance

Aleksandra Goryachkina played against Tan Zhongyi. Tan got an extra pawn early. But later, Goryachkina won the queen with a tactical shot.

Still, Tan defended brilliantly and built a fortress. The game ended in a draw.

Vaishali Scores First Win

R Vaishali finally scored her first win against Kateryna Lagno. The game was full of ups and downs.

Vaishali attacked strongly but missed a chance at one moment. Later, she regained control and finished the game with a beautiful tactic. Her move 46…Rg5! was the key idea, setting up a decisive mating attack.

Divya Deshmukh Joins the Race

Divya Deshmukh defeated Bibisara Assaubayeva. Assaubayeva pushed too hard in the middlegame. Divya stayed solid, gained material, and converted the win.

This was Divya’s first victory of the tournament.