[Event "FIDE Candidates 2026"]
[White "Giri,Anish"]
[Black "Sindarov,Javokhir"]
[Site "Agios Georgios Pegeia"]
[Round "13.1"]
[Annotator "Johannes Fischer"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2026.04.14"]
[WhiteElo "2753"]
[BlackElo "2745"]
[PlyCount "116"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 {In this important game, Giri and Sindarov both rely on opening systems they know well and have played many times before.} Nf6 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c5 8. Nge2 Nc6 9. O-O Bg4 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. h3 Bxe2 12. Nxe2 d4 13. e4 {The entire variation is well known, but 13...Re8 is the first new move. In fact, Giri can be satisfied with how the opening has gone. The black passed pawn on d4 and White's kingside pawn majority create an imbalance, and it seems that White could obtain chances to go for a win. However, in the game, Sindarov manages to neutralise White's initiative quickly and without difficulty.} Re8 14. Ng3 Nd7 15. a3 Nde5 16. Bxe5 Nxe5 17. f4 Nxd3 18. Qxd3 {[#] This position looks promising for White at first glance. He can push his pawn to e5 and then dream of attacking the black king with a knight on e4 or capturing the weak pawn on d4. However, as Sindarov shows, such ideas are unrealistic.} Qb6 19. e5 Qa6 $1 {Black forgoes the pawn on b2 and instead exchanges queens. In doing so, he damages his pawn structure, but defuses White's most dangerous threats.} 20. Qxa6 bxa6 21. Ne4 Bb6 22. Nd6 Re6 23. Nc4 f6 24. Rad1 fxe5 25. fxe5 Rd8 26. Rf4 d3+ 27. Kf1 Bc7 28. Re4 Rd5 29. Kf2 Bxe5 30. Rxe5 Rexe5 31. Nxe5 Rxe5 32. Rxd3 {Sindarov has (almost) achieved his aim: the rook endgame is drawn and cannot be won by White with reasonably accurate play from Black. The inferior black pawn structure gives White at most a symbolic advantage.} Rb5 33. b3 Kf7 34. a4 ({Here White could have won a pawn with} 34. Rd7+ Kg6 35. Rxa7 Rxb3 36. Rxa6+ Kg5 {but both Giri and Sindarov knew that this rook endgame is also drawn. In the game, Giri tried for a while to create chances, but after 58 moves he accepted the inevitable and agreed to a draw.} )Rb7 35. Ke2 Ke6 36. Re3+ Kd6 37. Kd2 a5 38. Rg3 g6 39. Kc3 Rc7+ 40. Kb2 Rc5 41. h4 Re5 42. Rg4 Kc6 43. Rc4+ Kd6 44. g4 Re2+ 45. Ka3 h6 46. Rd4+ Kc6 47. Rf4 Rh2 48. g5 hxg5 49. Rf6+ Kb7 50. hxg5 Rg2 51. Rxg6 a6 52. Rg8 Ka7 53. Rg7+ Kb6 54. g6 Kc6 55. Ra7 Kb6 56. Rg7 Kc6 57. Ra7 Kb6 58. Rg7 Kc6 1/2-1/2

