Javokhir Sindarov begins final leg of Grand Chess Tour in St. Louis

Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov is embarking on the decisive stretch of the Grand Chess Tour, with the elite competition culminating in St. Louis, Missouri. Sindarov will participate in the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and the classical Sinquefield Cup. His ultimate goal is to secure a spot in the top four of the overall standings to advance to the Grand Chess Tour Final.

Gazeta.uz is closely examining Sindarov's current position and his prospects for contending for the tour title. His participation in these international events, including his preparation and work with his coaching team, is supported by the National Bank of Uzbekistan.

St. Louis, a city with fewer than 300,000 residents, has transformed into a global chess epicenter over the last two decades. The city's chess prominence began in 2008 when local businessman Rex Sinquefield founded the Saint Louis Chess Club. Since 2009, it has consistently hosted the U.S. Chess Championships. The prestigious Sinquefield Cup, launched in 2013, joined the Grand Chess Tour two years later, attracting the world's strongest grandmasters.

Ahead of the American leg, Sindarov is currently sixth in the overall standings with 10.5 points, trailing fourth-placed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave by four points. American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana leads the tour with 20 points. A tournament win awards 13 points, indicating that the final four positions remain undecided until the conclusion of the St. Louis events. Sindarov's key rivals for qualification include Caruana, Vincent Keymer, Vachier-Lagrave, Wesley So, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Anish Giri, and Jorden van Foreest.

Sindarov's recent performances have elevated his status beyond that of a promising young player. Earlier this year, he won the Candidates Tournament undefeated, earning the right to challenge reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju. This victory followed his win at the 2025 FIDE World Cup. Grand Chess Tour organizers now introduce him as both the reigning World Cup champion and the Candidates Tournament winner. He also secured third place at the Super Chess Classic Romania and performed well in a team match against the United States.