In a thrilling turn of events at the Grand Chess Tour Super Rapid and Blitz event in Warsaw, Javokhir Sindarov finally got his revenge against D Gukesh, defeating the reigning World Champion in their first-ever blitz meeting on Friday. This victory came just two days after Gukesh had beaten Sindarov in a rapid chess game, a match that became memorable due to the Indian's rare emotional reaction.
Gukesh's emotional reaction in rapid win
Known for his calm and unreadable expression during games, Gukesh surprised fans by celebrating with a seated fist pump moments after defeating the Uzbek teenager earlier in the tournament. That reaction quickly went viral in chess circles, especially because Sindarov is set to challenge Gukesh for the World Championship later this year. The growing rivalry between the two young stars has become one of the biggest talking points in world chess.
Sindarov's composed blitz victory
On Friday, Sindarov responded in the best possible way with a dominant blitz victory. Unlike Gukesh's emotional celebration earlier in the week, the Uzbek grandmaster barely reacted after winning Round 8 of the Super Blitz section. There was no emotional celebration from the Uzbek, only a firm handshake. This calm response added another layer to what is rapidly becoming a fascinating psychological battle between the pair.
Details of the rapid game
The rivalry had already intensified after Gukesh's earlier rapid victory. Playing with the black pieces in that game, the Indian entered a sharp Caro-Kann Defence and gradually took complete control. He neutralised Sindarov's attacking ideas, collected material, and converted the advantage comfortably in 52 moves. That victory was especially important for Gukesh after questions around his form surfaced following a surprise defeat to Poland's Radoslav Wojtaszek earlier in the tournament.
Looking ahead to the final clash
With one win each, the score between the two rising stars is level again heading into Saturday's final reverse-blitz clash in Warsaw. With pride, momentum, and perhaps even early psychological advantage at stake before their World Championship showdown, the final encounter promises plenty of drama.
