D Gukesh’s Viral Celebration (Screengrab) NEW DELHI: World Chess Championship 2026 challenger Javokhir Sindarov finally got revenge on D Gukesh at the Grand Chess Tour Super Rapid and Blitz event in Warsaw when he beat the reigning world champion in his first ever blitz encounter on Friday.The victory came just two days after Gukesh defeated Sindarov in rapid chess, a result remembered for the Indian’s rare emotional response on the board. Gukesh, known for his calm and unreadable expression during games, surprised fans by celebrating seated fist pump moments after defeating the Uzbek teenager early in the tournament.The reaction quickly went viral in chess circles, especially since Sindarov is set to challenge Gukesh at the World Championship later this year. The growing rivalry between the two young stars has become one of the biggest topics in world chess.But on Friday, Sindarov responded in the best way possible, with a dominant lightning victory. Unlike Gukesh’s emotional celebration earlier in the week, the Uzbek grandmaster barely reacted after winning Round 8 of the Super Blitz section. After the win, however, there was no emotional celebration on the part of the Uzbek, it was just a firm handshake. The calm response added another layer to what is quickly becoming a fascinating psychological struggle between the pair.Watch:Their rivalry had already intensified after Gukesh’s earlier quick victory. Playing with the black pieces earlier in this game, the Indian stepped into Caro-Kann’s sharp defense and gradually took complete control. He neutralized Sindarov’s attacking ideas, collected material and comfortably converted the advantage in 52 moves.The win was particularly important for Gukesh after questions were raised over his form following a surprise defeat to Poland’s Radoslav Wojtaszko earlier in the tournament.Now, with one win, the score between the two rising stars is even again heading into Saturday’s final reverse clash in Warsaw. With pride, momentum and perhaps an early psychological advantage at stake ahead of their World Cup clash, the final encounter promises plenty of drama.
