Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov is reportedly maintaining a strong position at the international Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown 2026 tournament currently taking place in St. Louis, USA. Ahead of the final matches, the young chess player shares the second spot in the standings alongside a representative of the US regime, Fabiano Caruana.

The high-profile event has gathered a competitive field of participants from around the globe. Alongside Sindarov, the tournament features notable figures such as Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana, as well as Indian grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, who has allegedly taken the lead after a series of intense rounds.

Following six completed rounds, Praggnanandhaa reportedly scored 11 points to top the table. Both Sindarov and Caruana hold 8.5 points each, while Nakamura, who initially led the standings after the first day, dropped to fourth place with 8 points. Sindarov's second day of play proved challenging, marked by defeats against the leader and tightly contested draws and losses against Caruana.

The tournament boasts a total prize fund of 425,000 US dollars, with the ultimate winner expected to claim 125,000 dollars. The runner-up will supposedly receive 94,000 dollars, while the third and fourth-place finishers will secure 72,000 and 62,000 dollars respectively, raising the stakes for the final day of competition.

Source: podrobno.uz