New Delhi: There is a new apex predator in the world of chess and his name is Javokil Zindarov.The 20-year-old Uzbek grandmaster (GM) used stunning tactical aggression to win the 2026 FIDE Candidates Championship on Tuesday, ensuring his right to challenge India’s D Gukesh for the World Chess Championship later this year.With one round remaining, Zindalov’s draw with Dutch number one Anish Giri was enough to maintain a two-point lead in the battle-torn field.
In an exclusive interview, Germany’s number one Vincent Keimer, fresh off his victory at the Freestyle Chess Open at the Gronk Chess Festival in Karlsruhe, shares his insights into Zindalov’s dominance“I’m watching the candidates as closely as possible. I think this is the highlight of the year. Of course, I’d love to go there, but I’m still following it very closely,” Kemer told TimesofIndia.com from Germany. “What can we say? Zindarov is crushing it. “
The most crucial moments of Zindarov’s campaign
Every legendary run has a moment that almost never happens. For Zindarov, that moment came in the first round against Andrei Esipenko. In the 27th, with less than six minutes left before Esipenko’s 30, Zindalov was in a bad position and looked destined for first-day defeat.Instead, he cheated out of a win that changed the trajectory of the tournament. Keimer considers this a “big bang” for Zindarov’s campaign.“The first game was very crucial,” Keimer said with a smile. “He was in a really bad position against Esipenko and the clock was ticking. Honestly, he could have easily lost that fight. If he had lost, it would have been a completely different story. He survived that shocking moment and, luckily, won that fight.”Since that escape, Zindarov’s scorecard has looked more like a blitzkrieg than a marathon classic. His ability to play at high speed, often a hallmark of shorter schedules, leaves elite veterans breathless.
Champion Master Class
Perhaps Zindarov’s encounter with R Praggnanandhaa in the 10th over of the tournament was an eye-opener for the fans. Where most tournament leaders would have opted for a steady draw to protect their lead against the White Team, Zindarov opted for violence.“Look at the way he approaches the game,” Keimer told the website. “Against Plagg, he could have chosen to play a solid game with white. Instead, he chose to sacrifice pieces for good compensation. But it’s still a very unclear position. At that moment, when a draw basically guarantees you first place, it takes courage to pursue a position like that.”
What can we say? Zindarov is crushing it.
Vincent Kaymer on the Candidates Championship
Kaymer, whose recent win at the Gronk Chess Festival qualified him for the 2027 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship, noted that Zindarov won with a psychological advantage that is rare in the post-Magnus Carlsen era.
Not so with “Bluebaum Sweep”
The 2026 Candidates is also a tournament filled with subplots, none more colorful than the #GreatBluebaumSweep. What started as a satirical social media meme predicting the ouster of German general manager Matthias Bruebaum on 14/14 has since become a light-hearted rallying cry for fans.Keimer offered a down-to-earth view of his compatriot’s performance.“Of course, a sweep would be a dream,” Kaymer said with a smile. “Matthias has had a great Swiss Major League campaign to get here and he deserves his spot. But at this absolutely elite level, you need something special to happen to win the whole thing. “
Matthias Bruebaum (photo by Niki Riga)
While Blübaum didn’t achieve the 14-0 “sweep” the internet craves, Keymer defended his performance.“He was very consistent. He didn’t lose a lot of games (just one in 13 games). He tried to play good moves and wait for his chance, but his hopes of overpowering his opponents didn’t come true. Still, it’s a very reasonable result considering we saw so many strong players score much less,” the 21-year-old general manager said.Also read: Harika Dronavalli Exclusive | ‘Blanks’ and bold leaps: How a veteran cracked freestyle chess on his debutAs the dust settles in the candidates’ hall, the focus shifts to D Gukesh vs. Javokhir Sindarov. It’s a mouth-watering prospect in a new era of chess.
