Following four intense rounds of the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, a distinct leader has emerged. Javokhir Sindarov delivered a stunning performance, defeating co-leader Fabiano Caruana in their crucial matchup. This victory propelled Sindarov to an impressive score of 3½ out of 4, establishing a commanding full-point lead over his closest rivals.
In other significant results, Anish Giri secured a crucial win playing with the black pieces against Andrey Esipenko, bringing his personal score back to an even fifty percent. The two remaining games of the round concluded in draws, setting the stage for the tournament’s first much-anticipated rest day.