Javokhir Sindarov wins Clutch Chess title ahead of World Championship match vs D Gukesh

Weeks before facing defending champion D Gukesh in the World Championship match in Geneva, 20-year-old Uzbek challenger Javokhir Sindarov has wrapped up his final competitive appearance with a title.

Sindarov won the Clutch Chess Champions Showdown – a four-player rapid event in Saint Louis, featuring top names – Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura and R Praggnanandhaa. He took home a whopping $168,000.

He entered the final day of the three-day tournament tied in second place with Caruana. Praggnanandhaa was in the lead, but Sindarov managed to overturn the deficit and throw in a spectacular win against Nakamura, one that he called one of his best King’s Indian games.

This title coming so close to the match must feel good. Gukesh's last competitive appearance was at the Fide Chess Olympiad in September, where he played on Board 4 and finished with a silver.

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Praggnanandhaa finished in second place winning $109000, with Caruana and Nakamura in third and fourth positions respectively. While his first game against Sindarov ended in a draw on the final day, the Uzbek won the second. The Indian was in the running for the title till his final match – against Caruana. Their first game ended in a 100-move draw, leaving him a must-win

After jumping from last place to first on Day 2, missing the title was obviously disappointing. "Overall, finishing second in such a field is okay, but knowing how close I was to winning it, it's a little disappointing," said the Indian, who's had an impressive run this year.