Javokhir Sindarov Finishes Second in St. Louis Rapid Event, Remains Unbeaten

Uzbekistan's grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov concluded the rapid portion of the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, the final rapid and blitz event of the elite Grand Chess Tour series, in impressive fashion by finishing second. He remained undefeated across all nine games, a testament to his consistent performance.

Sindarov amassed 11 points over the nine rounds, finishing just one point behind the tournament leader, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa of India. American grandmaster Wesley So secured the third position with 10 points. In this rapid section, victories were awarded two points, and draws one point. Sindarov's record included two decisive wins and seven draws, showcasing his ability to navigate complex games and secure favorable outcomes or stalemates.

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In general I’m happy I finished +1 because the second game [against Keymer] was tricky. At some moment I’m just losing, but in time trouble I managed to survive the position.

His performance on the opening day saw him secure a victory against Jorden van Foreest in the third round, after two earlier draws against Anish Giri and Vincent Keymer. Sindarov described his survival in the second game against Keymer as tricky, noting he was losing at one point but managed to salvage the position under severe time pressure. The second day presented tougher challenges, with Sindarov drawing against formidable opponents Praggnanandhaa, Levon Aronian, and Fabiano Caruana, often fighting back from difficult positions.

The final day saw Sindarov solidify his second-place finish with another draw against Giri and a crucial win against American grandmaster Awonder Liang. He concluded the rapid section undefeated after a final draw against Keymer. Despite Praggnanandhaa's loss in the last round, he maintained his lead with 12 points, while Sindarov secured second place with 11 points.

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You have to forget about it after the game, but it’s not easy.