Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: 2026 World Chess Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov finally got his revenge against D Gukesh at the Grand Chess Tour Super Rapid and Blitz event in Warsaw, defeating the reigning World Champion in their first-ever blitz meeting on Friday.The win came just two days after Gukesh had beaten Sindarov in rapid chess, a result made memorable by the Indian’s rare emotional reaction at the board. Known for his calm and unreadable expression during games, Gukesh had surprised fans by celebrating with a seated fist pump moments after defeating the Uzbek teenager earlier in the tournament.That reaction quickly went viral in chess circles, especially because Sindarov is set to challenge Gukesh for the World Championship later this year. The growing rivalry between the two young stars has become one of the biggest talking points in world chess.But on Friday, Sindarov responded in the best possible way, with a dominant blitz victory. Unlike Gukesh’s emotional celebration earlier in the week, the Uzbek grandmaster barely reacted after winning Round 8 of the Super Blitz section. However, after the win, there was no emotional celebration from the Uzbek as it was just a firm handshake. The calm response added another layer to what is rapidly becoming a fascinating psychological battle between the pair.Watch:Their rivalry had already intensified after Gukesh’s earlier rapid victory. Playing with the black pieces in that game earlier, the Indian entered a sharp Caro-Kann Defence and gradually took complete control. He neutralised Sindarov’s attacking ideas, collected material and converted the advantage comfortably in 52 moves.That victory was especially important for Gukesh after questions around his form surfaced following a surprise defeat to Poland’s Radoslav Wojtaszek earlier in the tournament.Now, with one win each, the score between the two rising stars is level again heading into Saturday’s final reverse-blitz clash in Warsaw. With pride, momentum and perhaps even early psychological advantage at stake before their World Championship showdown, the final encounter promises plenty of drama.
