Uzbek Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has shared his thoughts on facing the reigning world champion, Dommaraju Gukesh, in their upcoming 2026 World Chess Championship match.
Sindarov emphasized that he is consciously avoiding the immense hype surrounding the title bout, choosing instead to focus on his immediate tournament schedule to maintain his mental composure. He noted that overthinking the year-end match could lead to unnecessary mental fatigue, so his current priority is simply playing good chess against the world’s top players.
The rivalry between the two grandmasters stretches back nearly a decade, with Sindarov recalling their first encounter around 2016 or 2017. During their early years, Sindarov maintained a strong record against Gukesh in classical chess, securing two wins and a draw.
He admitted to following Gukesh’s rapid development closely, noting that he knew early on that the Indian prodigy would become a formidable force, especially after Gukesh became a grandmaster at an even younger age than he did.
Their most recent encounter took place at the Grand Chess Tour: Super Rapid & Blitz Poland 2026, serving as a high-stakes preview of the world title clash. While Gukesh won their rapid game, Sindarov demonstrated his resilience by striking back with two victories in the blitz section.
Despite their long history on the board, Sindarov revealed to Firstpost that there is no personal relationship between the two competitors away from the pieces. While Sindarov maintains close friendships with other Indian grandmasters like Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin, he stated that he has never actually spoken with Gukesh outside of game-related matters.
Having secured his place as the official challenger by winning the 2026 Candidates tournament, Sindarov remains focused on the actual battle ahead rather than personal ties.
