Javokhir Sindarov has done something nobody has ever done in a modern Candidates Tournament. The 20-year-old from Uzbekistan reached the halfway rest day with 6 points out of 7, a score that puts him firmly in a class of his own at the 2026 FIDE Candidates in Cyprus. Away from the board, India had a strong week in the ratings, an 11-year-old from England made headlines, and FIDE made several important decisions.
Sindarov Reaches 6/7 at the Candidates Halfway Point
The story of the week, and arguably of the entire chess calendar so far in 2026, is Javokhir Sindarov’s dominance at the Candidates Tournament in Pegeia, Cyprus.
After five rounds he was already at 4.5/5. He then beat Wei Yi Round 6 to move to 5.5/6. In Round 7, Anish Giri built a solid defensive fortress and held Sindarov to a draw. That was the only thing stopping Sindarov from an even more remarkable score. He still finished the first half with 6.0/7, which is a record-breaking start for any player in the modern double round-robin Candidates format.
Fabiano Caruana sits second with 4.5/7. He drew with Andrey Esipenko in Round 6 and with Praggnanandhaa in Round 7, keeping himself mathematically in the race but 1.5 points behind the leader. The only other decisive result in Round 7 came from the bottom of the table, where Wei Yi beat Esipenko for his first win of the tournament.
Open Section Standings After Round 7:
| Rank | Player | Country | Score | W-D-L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GM Javokhir Sindarov | UZB | 8.0 / 10 | 6-4-0 |
| 2 | GM Anish Giri | NED | 6.0 / 10 | 3-6-1 |
| 3 | GM Fabiano Caruana | USA | 5.0 / 10 | 3-4-3 |
| 4 | GM Matthias Bluebaum | GER | 4.5 / 10 | 0-9-1 |
| 5 | GM Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 4.5 / 10 | 1-7-2 |
| 6 | GM Wei Yi | CHN | 4.5 / 10 | 1-7-2 |
| 7 | GM Praggnanandhaa R | IND | 4.0 / 10 | 1-6-3 |
| 8 | GM Andrey Esipenko | FIDE | 3.5 / 10 | 0-7-3 |
Seven rounds remain. The winner earns the right to challenge World Champion D Gukesh in a 14-game World Championship match later in 2026.
Muzychuk Leads Women's Candidates, Vaishali Right Behind Her
The Women’s Candidates section is a much tighter race. Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine leads with 4.5/7 after a draw with Bibisara Assaubayeva in Round 7.
The bigger story from the Women’s section this week was India’s Vaishali Rameshbabu. She won back-to-back games in Rounds 6 and 7, beating Kateryna Lagno and then Tan Zhongyi, to move into second place with 4.0/7. Tan Zhongyi blundered in a position she was close to winning, which dropped her to last place. Divya Deshmukh played a remarkable 135-move game against Lagno in Round 7 but could not find the win.
Muzychuk entered this tournament as a last-minute replacement for Koneru Humpy and has been the standout player of the Women’s section so far.
Women's Section Standings After Round 7:
| Rank | Player | Country | Score | W-D-L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GM Vaishali Rameshbabu | IND | 6.0 / 10 | 3-6-1 |
| 2 | GM Anna Muzychuk | UKR | 5.5 / 10 | 2-7-1 |
| 3 | GM Zhu Jiner | CHN | 5.5 / 10 | 4-3-3 |
| 4 | GM Bibisara Assaubayeva | KAZ | 5.0 / 10 | 2-6-2 |
| 5 | GM Aleksandra Goryachkina | FIDE | 5.0 / 10 | 1-8-1 |
| 6 | GM Kateryna Lagno | FIDE | 5.0 / 10 | 3-4-3 |
| 7 | GM Divya Deshmukh | IND | 4.5 / 10 | 2-5-3 |
| 8 | GM Tan Zhongyi | CHN | 3.5 / 10 | 0-7-3 |
Round 8 resumes on April 7 after a rest day. Both tournaments are being played at the Cap St Georges Hotel in Cyprus and run until April 16.
Keymer Takes the Lead at the Grenke Freestyle Open
At the Grenke Chess Festival in Karlsruhe, Germany, Vincent Keymer holds the sole lead in the Freestyle Open A with 6.5/7 going into the final day. He beat Hans Niemann in Round 6 to take the lead, then drew with Magnus Carlsen in Round 7 to stay ahead.
ChessBase reported that Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alexey Sarana, and India’s Pranav V are all chasing at 6.0/7, half a point behind Keymer. The Grenke Festival set a new world record this year with more than 3,500 players registered, the largest open chess festival ever held. The winner of the Freestyle Open A earns direct qualification for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2027.
Bodhana Sivanandan Gains 98 Rating Points in One Month
The biggest individual story from the April 2026 FIDE rating list belongs to 11-year-old English FIDE Master Bodhana Sivanandan. She gained 98 classical rating points after her performance at the Festival International des Jeux de Cannes, pushing her rating to 2366.
According to the FIDE official rating list, her 98-point gain is the single largest monthly increase by any player in either the Open or Women’s Top 100 for April 2026. She is now ranked 72nd among all women in the world and is the top-rated female player in England.
Other big gainers this month included WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana of Sri Lanka (+87 points), WGM Alua Nurman of Kazakhstan (+65 points), and American FM Rose Atwell (+36 points).
India Consolidates Its Position as World Number 2 Federation
The April 2026 FIDE rating list was a good one for Indian chess overall. Divya Deshmukh crossed the 2500 mark for the first time, gaining 13 points to reach 2510 and enter the Women’s Top 10. Arjun Erigaisi climbed back into the Open World Top 10 at number 10, without even playing classical chess in March.
India now has five players in the Open World Top 30: Arjun Erigaisi (10), Praggnanandhaa R (12), D Gukesh (15), Nihal Sarin (22), and Vidit Gujrathi. India holds the number 2 federation ranking in both the Open and Women’s categories based on top-ten player average ratings.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan was the biggest mover at the top of the Open list, gaining 9 points after winning the Prague International Chess Festival to reach a career-high 2780 and World No. 4. The top three, Magnus Carlsen (2840), Hikaru Nakamura (2810), and Fabiano Caruana (2793), stayed unchanged.
Gukesh Steps Back From the Grand Chess Tour
World Champion D Gukesh announced he will skip most of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour events to focus on training for his title defense. He will only play the Rapid and Blitz events in Warsaw and Zagreb.
In a statement on X, Gukesh said his performances in recent events had been disappointing and that he and his team decided he should compete with less intensity for the next few months. He placed 10th at Tata Steel and 9th at the Prague Chess Festival in early 2026. The Grand Chess Tour organizers agreed to adjust his schedule. It is a smart decision from a champion who wants to be at his best when the World Championship comes around.
FIDE Refers Kramnik to Ethics Commission
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and the FIDE Management Board formally referred former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik to the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission. According to the FIDE official website, the referral focuses on public statements Kramnik made both before and after the recent death of GM Daniel Naroditsky, with the investigation looking into potential harassment, bullying, and personal attacks. The Ethics Commission will review the materials privately before issuing a binding decision.
Christopher Yoo's Suspension Goes Global
The FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission extended the existing suspension of GM Christopher Yoo to a worldwide level. Yoo had been suspended by the US Chess Federation for physically assaulting a broadcast team member at the US Chess Championship. The suspension runs from November 15, 2024, to November 14, 2025, and is now followed by a five-year FIDE probation period through November 14, 2030. FIDE confirmed the original USCF investigation was handled fairly and met the standard required to enforce the ban globally.
FIDE Approves Faster Time Controls for Standard Ratings
FIDE approved a resolution this week allowing two specific faster time controls, 45 minutes plus 30 seconds and 60 minutes plus 30 seconds, to count toward standard classical ratings and title norms at approved major events. The goal is to reduce the logistical demands of tournaments by allowing top-tier events to conclude in five or six days rather than the traditional longer format. This is a significant change for players chasing titles and norms at the tournament level.
What This Means for Young Chess Players
Two stories this week stand out for young players and their parents. Bodhana Sivanandan is 11 years old and just gained 98 rating points in a single month. Sindarov is 20 and is halfway to becoming a World Championship challenger. Chess rewards preparation, focus, and consistency at every age. If your child is learning the game right now, they are doing so at a time when young players are rising faster than ever before. Want to know how chess builds focus and thinking skills in children? Read our article on the connection between chess and IQ.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament resumes on April 7 with Round 8, after a rest day on April 6. Both the Open and Women’s sections have seven rounds remaining. The Grenke Freestyle Open A concludes on April 6 with its final rounds. Keep an eye on the chess tournaments in India for upcoming events.
FAQ
He needs 7.5 points from the remaining 7 rounds to guarantee the title. Given his current 6/7 score, even a modest performance in the second half may be enough if Caruana cannot close the 1.5-point gap.
Yes. She is half a point behind Muzychuk with 7 rounds remaining. Her back-to-back wins in Rounds 6 and 7 have put her right in the mix heading into the second half.
It mainly affects elite and professional tournaments approved by FIDE. For most club and junior tournaments, the existing time control rules remain the same.
Gukesh told the Times of India that his recent results have been below his own expectations. He and his team have chosen to reduce his tournament schedule and focus on training for his World Championship title defense later in 2026.
