World Chess Championship: Sindarov puts Gukesh showdown on hold, says preparation starts after Olympics

Gukesh Dommaraju and Javokhir Sindarov (PTI/IANS Photos) Javokhir Sindarov knows the biggest challenge of his young career awaits later this year when defending champion D Gukesh takes on the world crown. However, the Uzbek prodigy is refusing to let the much-anticipated showdown dominate his thoughts just yet.Sindarov will take on fellow 20-year-old Gukesh in a 14-match World Championship match in Geneva from November 24 to December 12. Still, instead of immediately starting concrete preparations for the title fight, the contender winner is focusing on the tournaments right in front of him.“Right now I am focusing on my next events – the Global Chess League and the Olympiad. After that, I will start preparing for the World Championship match,” said Sindarov, who will represent Fyers American Gambits in the fourth edition of the GCL, during a media interaction.

Sindarov wants to face Gukesh as best he can

Sindarov’s approach also reflects his reluctance to read too much into Gukesh’s recent results. The Indian world champion has had an inconsistent spell since winning the title in 2024, but Sindarov believes this will have little bearing on their eventual battle.“Gukesh is very strong. I have played with him a few times and I really feel that he is a very strong chess player,” said Sindarov. “I can’t say many things before the match. I just want to play good chess and enjoy it.”This measured approach comes after a remarkable year for Sindarov. He earned his world title win by winning the Candidates Tournament with one round to spare and produced a dominant campaign that included four straight wins against elite opposition. Since then, he has continued to establish himself as one of the leading players of the new generation.

Immediate focus on GCL and Olympics

Before Geneva, Sindarov has the fourth season of the Global Chess League in Bengaluru from September 5-13, followed by the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand from September 15-27.Coach Roman Vidonyak will oversee his preparation for the World Cup. Sindarov indicated that detailed work for Gukesh will not begin until after the Olympics, allowing him to fully focus on the immediate challenges before he sets his sights on the world title.The clash in Geneva will be a historic meeting between the two 20-year-olds, with Sindarov looking to dethrone the champion and Gukesh looking to defend the crown he won in 2024.