Javohir Sindarov assesses his chances in the historic World Championship match against Gukesh

Young Uzbek grandmaster Javohir Sindarov, who won the prestigious Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown tournament in St. Louis, USA, gave an unexpected and unique response to a question about the upcoming historic World Championship match. Journalists asked him to break down his winning chances in the upcoming match against the reigning world champion, Gukesh Dommaraju of India, in percentages.

The Uzbek chess star rated his chances just 0.2 percent higher than his opponent, revealing a distribution based on symbolism and deep mutual respect:

• Javohir Sindarov: 50.1%

• Gukesh Dommaraju: 49.9%

According to experts, this subtle difference reflects Sindarov's immense respect for the reigning champion, while simultaneously demonstrating his high level of confidence in his own strength and preparation.

Victory in St. Louis: The final test before the championship match

Before giving this answer, Sindarov proved he is in excellent form at the St. Louis tournament:

• Tournament victory: In the matches held from October 27–29, Javohir scored a total of 20.5 points, becoming the absolute winner of the competition;

• Rehearsal before the main event: This success became the last official tournament the Uzbek chess player participated in before the battle for the World Crown.

Historic clash in Geneva: The youngest finalists in history

The eyes of the entire world chess community are now turned toward Switzerland:

• Start date and location: The World Championship match between Gukesh and Sindarov will officially begin on November 24, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland;

• Format: The duel will consist of 14 classical games;

• Absolute record: This match will become the clash of the two youngest contenders to ever compete for the world crown in the history of world chess — both Gukesh and Javohir are currently only 20 years old.