In the 10th round of the "Tata Steel Chess 2026" tournament, hosted by the Dutch city of Waik aan Zee, a very important match for us has ended. In it, our compatriot Javokhir Sindarov played with white pieces against Jorden van Forest from the Netherlands and drew.
At first glance, the draw may seem simple, but in this game, we can say that Sindarov achieved exactly what he needed with a "mute calculation." Without unnecessary problems, without unnecessary risks - he kept the situation under control and finished the game on the right track without giving the opponent too many chances.
The most important point is this: Sindarov behaves much more freely in black pieces in classic games. Therefore, this time he didn't launch a "forced attack" - because in such a tournament, one incorrect risk could turn the entire table upside down. If a decisive game was offered in hopes of victory, resulting in defeat, this could, on one hand, push the main competitor ahead, and on the other hand, increase van Forest's points, intensifying the struggle in the table.
In this sense, this draw not only kept Javokhir in the group of leaders, but also restored the situation around the first place for Nodirbek Abdusattorov. After 10 rounds, it is noted that Abdusattorov maintained the lead.
Now attention to the 11th round: Nodirbek Abdusattorov will play with black pieces against van Forest. It's bound to be a very nervous and complicated clash - because if he wins such pairs, a real "talk without a stick" for first place in the table will begin.
In short, today's draw doesn't mean nothing happened. This is a strategically sound decision: sometimes the biggest achievement in a tournament is avoiding unnecessary mistakes. Now it's Nodirbek's turn - even in the black pieces, we expect composure, accurate counting, and ultimately a result that lifts our spirits.
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