The chess world has already begun debating the outcome of the upcoming FIDE World Chess Championship clash between reigning champion D Gukesh and challenger Javokhir Sindarov, after the Uzbek prodigy stormed to victory at the FIDE Candidates in Cyprus last month.
Sindarov’s dominant performances in recent months, combined with Gukesh’s inconsistent form over the past year, have led many to view the challenger as the early favourite for the title match later this year. Yet the Indian star himself enjoyed a similarly unstoppable spell not long ago, producing a string of commanding tournament victories on the global circuit.
Fellow Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa was recently asked to weigh in on the blockbuster showdown while speaking on the sidelines
of the ongoing Superbet Chess Classic Romania, where he is the defending champion.
Who Wins – Gukesh or Sindarov?
Despite Sindarov’s recent rise and D Gukesh’s dip in form, R Praggnanandhaa declined to back either player outright, insisting the battle for the crown remains too close to call at this stage.
“It’s six months away, and no one knows what form they will be in. I think it’s just 50-50. I don’t think anyone is a favourite. It’s just who plays the best in the World Championship will take it,” Praggnanandhaa told ChessBase India on the sidelines of the ongoing Superbet Chess Classic Romania, where he is the defending champion.
The two title rivals have already crossed paths several times this season. During the Superbet Rapid and Blitz Poland event in Warsaw — the opening leg of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour — Gukesh defeated Sindarov in the rapid section before the Uzbek bounced back strongly in blitz, beating the world champion twice.
Sindarov’s momentum, however, suffered a setback in Bucharest when he lost to Praggnanandhaa in the second round of the Superbet Chess Classic. The defeat marked his first loss in classical chess since the FIDE Grand Swiss held in Uzbekistan in September last year.
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