Kasparov: Sindarov favored over Gukesh for title

Former world champion Garry Kasparov has tipped Javokhir Sindarov as the favorite in his upcoming World Chess Championship match against D Gukesh. Kasparov lauded Sindarov's dominant performance in the Candidates Tournament, highlighting his timing, move quality, and ability to manage pressure as exceptional. He believes these factors give Sindarov an edge over Gukesh in their direct confrontation.

However, Kasparov also recognized Gukesh's considerable strengths, including his remarkable mental fortitude and resilience in defending difficult positions. He noted that Gukesh possesses valuable match experience, which will be crucial in the 14-game championship format, while this will be Sindarov's first serious long match.

Kasparov further speculated on the broader implications of the championship's outcome. He suggested that a victory for the 20-year-old Sindarov against the 19-year-old Gukesh could potentially reignite interest from Magnus Carlsen, the world's strongest player, who has been absent from the title cycle since 2022. Kasparov expressed a desire to see Carlsen compete again, possibly spurred by an exciting new challenger like Sindarov.