FIDE Candidates 2026, Round Six: Sindarov outplays China’s Wei Yi, Praggnanandhaa draws against Nakamura

There is no stopping Javokhir Sindarov. The Uzbek Grandmaster completely outplayed China’s Wei Yi in Round Six of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026 in Cyprus on Saturday.

Sindarov now leads the standings with a commanding 5.5 points from six games.

Early in the game, Sindarov accepted a damaged pawn structure but quickly gained the open g-file and dynamic play. Wei attempted to generate pressure with h4 and kingside ideas, but Sindarov responded actively with Rg8 and queenside expansion.

ALSO READ: Live updates from Round Six

The Uzbek opened the queenside between moves 14 and 17, eliminating key defenders and disrupting Wei’s coordination. His pieces became increasingly active in the middlegame, with the queen and bishop targeting central and kingside squares.

Sindarov gradually took control of the centre and key diagonals, while Wei’s structure loosened following exchanges such as Bxf6 and subsequent rook activity. The sequence beginning with – Bxf2, followed by Qxe4 and Rook-xd6, underlined Black’s complete domination.

Thereafter, Wei’s king was left exposed and his pieces uncoordinated, with no counterplay remaining, forcing him to concede.

Earlier, R Praggnanandhaa drew with Hikaru Nakamura. Nakamura opted for a queen’s pawn opening, which Praggnanandhaa met with solid development.

Both players moved quickly through the opening phase, reflecting deep preparation. However, neither was able to create a decisive advantage, and the game ended in a draw.

More to follow…

Published on Apr 04, 2026