Pragg’s Oversight Costs Him Against Sindarov in Candidates Tournament Showdown
R Praggnanandhaa’s Oversight Costs Him in Candidates Tournament
Cyprus – In a dramatic turn of events at the Candidates chess tournament, Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa faced a tough defeat against Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov in the 10th round on Thursday. The match, which lasted 53 moves, saw Praggnanandhaa overlook a critical threat on his 22nd turn, allowing Sindarov to capitalize and secure a decisive victory.
Sindarov, who had previously missed a winning opportunity against Germany’s Matthias Blubaum, was in no mood for mercy this time. With this win, he not only scored a record-breaking sixth victory in the history of the Candidates format but also surged to eight points, leaving second-placed Anish Giri trailing by two points.
Praggnanandhaa’s oversight came when he played a bishop move, inadvertently allowing Sindarov to threaten his queen with Rf7. This misstep proved costly, leading to a queen and five pawns versus two rooks and two pawns endgame that favored Sindarov. Experts were left puzzled by Praggnanandhaa’s lengthy deliberation—31 minutes—before his 18th move (Qe7), raising questions about his decision-making under pressure.
Despite her brother’s setback, Praggnanandhaa’s sister, R Vaishali, kept the family’s hopes alive by securing a draw against Anna Muzychuk. This result brought her total to six points, making her the overnight co-leader in her section of the tournament. Vaishali, the lowest seed in the event, has consistently made the most of her opportunities, contrasting with her brother’s struggles.
As the tournament progresses, the stakes are high. Anish Giri, needing a win to close the gap with Sindarov, faces a daunting challenge against Hikaru Nakamura, whom he has not defeated in classical chess for over a decade.
With only four rounds remaining, the leaderboard stands as follows:
Open Section:
- Javokhir Sindarov – 8 points
- Anish Giri – 6 points
- Fabiano Caruana – 5 points
Women’s Section:
- R Vaishali – 6 points
- Zhu Jiner & Anna Muzychuk – 5.5 points each
As the tournament heats up, all eyes will be on the remaining rounds to see if Sindarov can maintain his lead or if Giri and Vaishali can mount a comeback.
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