As the Candidates tournament reaches its midpoint in Cyprus, the talented Uzbek player Javokhir Sindarov has taken a commanding lead in the open section, accumulating an impressive score of 6 out of 7. He currently holds a solid lead of one and a half points over renowned competitor Fabiano Caruana. Sindarov’s outstanding performance has garnered attention and admiration, even from former World Champion Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen has remarked that it appears “quite likely” Sindarov will emerge victorious in the tournament, while also acknowledging the challenges that come with his current position.

During an interview at the Grenke Chess Festival, Carlsen was asked about Sindarov’s chances of winning the Candidates. He stated, “I believe it’s more than likely that he will win, but being in this situation, especially for the first time, is quite difficult. As you reach this stage, various thoughts start to arise, and anything less than first place may lead to feelings of disappointment. It has certainly been enjoyable to watch, and I look forward to seeing how things unfold.”

Carlsen praised Sindarov’s play, noting, “It was reasonable to expect him to be a strong contender. Fabiano’s good performance didn’t catch anyone by surprise, but Hikaru’s struggles were unexpected. Sindarov had a rather shaky start in his first game, but since then, he has played exceptionally well and demonstrated a solid understanding of the game. He appears capable of handling any position, showcasing his remarkable talent.”

Additionally, Carlsen shared that Sindarov’s remarkable performance in the first half of the tournament prompted his wife to inquire whether he had ever experienced something similar during his own Candidates tournament. For context, Carlsen participated in only one Candidates event, which he won on the final day by surpassing Vladimir Kramnik on tiebreaks. This victory led him to compete for the World Chess Championship title against Vishy Anand in 2013, followed by four additional championship matches before stepping down from the title.

“My wife recently asked me about Sindarov’s impressive performance, wondering if I had ever achieved anything like that. I replied, ‘Thanks for asking, but not really.’ This highlights just how extraordinary his performance has been so far,” Carlsen concluded.