Sindarov took second place at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz
Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov won silver at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, finishing 1.5 points behind the winner.
**Javokhir Sindarov Takes Second Place in the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz Tournament**
**Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz)** — Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov took second place in the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament, finishing 1.5 points behind the winner, Indian grandmaster Pragnanandha Rameshbabu. This was reported by the Grand Chess Tour press service.
The tournament, which served as the opening stage of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals, was held at the St. Louis Chess Club from July 31 to August 7. Over five days, ten leading grandmasters played nine rapid rounds and 18 blitz rounds, totaling 135 games. The results of this tournament were important for the points distribution leading up to the Sinquefield Cup and the Grand Chess Tour Finals.
According to the final standings, Sindarov scored 11 points in rapid chess and 11 points in blitz, for a total of 22 points. Pragnanandhaa, by comparison, earned 12 points in rapid chess and 11.5 points in blitz, for a total of 23.5 points.
Throughout most of the tournament, Sindarov closely followed the leader, who took the lead in the second round and held the top spot until the very end. The World Championship contender increased the pressure on the final day of blitz, striving to catch his opponent, and their head-to-head match in the penultimate round proved decisive. Pragnanandhaa needed only a draw to win the tournament, and he achieved the desired result by successfully defending a pawn-down endgame. The winner prevailed in both rapid and blitz.
The tournament featured seven regulars—Fabiano Caruana, Javokhir Sindarov, Vincent Keremer, Wesley So, Anish Giri, Pragnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and Jorden van Foreest—as well as three special invitation players: Leinier Dominguez, Levon Aronian, and Awonder Liang.
The total prize fund for the competition was $200,000. Pragnanandhaa received $50,000 for first place, and Sindarov received $40,000 for second place. American grandmaster Wesley So placed third, winning $30,000.
Next in the standings was Levon Aronian, who earned $20,000 in prize money, while the group of grandmasters who tied for fifth through seventh place—Jorden van Foreest, Fabiano Caruana, and Leinier Dominguez—each received $12,000.