3 min learnNew DelhiJun 7, 2026 11:42 PM IST
A chilly day awaited the Indian gamers in Tashkent throughout the opening spherical of the 2026 Uzchess Masters. The very best-ranked Indian, Arjun Erigaisi, was held to a draw by the significantly lower-rated Shamsiddin Vokhidov, whereas the opposite Indian within the fray, Vidit Gujrathi, suffered a heavy blow by the hands of Shakhriyar Mamedyarov on Sunday.
The Azerbaijani veteran Mamedyarov snatched the total level from the skilled Indian. He risked steering the sport into a particularly advanced middlegame, a bet that labored completely in his favour. Mamedyarov induced errors from Vidit to achieve an additional pawn within the rook endgame. But the place remained double-edged, the place one misstep might render the additional pawn meaningless.
Vidit fought valiantly for many of the endgame earlier than a single lapse in judgment price him the sport. He did not construct a pawn fortress and finally folded in 67 strikes, after battling for over 5 hours.
Within the Arjun vs. Vokhidov conflict, the 124-point Elo hole proved much less decisive. Within the Caro-Kann recreation, the 2637-rated Vokhidov turned out to be greater than a match for World No. 9 Arjun with the sunshine items. In a clear recreation the place each gamers traded items at common intervals, Arjun might by no means safe any edge that supplied profitable possibilities. The native lad Vokhidov performed with 97.6 % accuracy, forcing Arjun to separate the purpose and, within the course of, costing him 1.7 Elo factors on the stay ranking listing.
In the meantime, newly minted World Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov was deservedly having fun with a break from his relentless chess schedule, basking on the shores of Monaco and treating himself to the roar of Method 1 engines on the Monaco GP whereas deciding to decide out of the occasion. In his absence, nevertheless, his second and last-minute substitute within the house occasion, Mukhiddin Madaminov, set the tone of the occasion by taking down Russian large Ian Nepomniachtchi.
Madaminov, whose inventory has solely risen since seconding Sindarov throughout his distinctive run to the World Cup and Candidates victory, is the lowest-rated participant within the occasion. That didn’t cease him from toppling two-time Candidates winner Nepomniachtchi within the opening spherical with the white items, in simply 33 strikes.
Having arrived on the occasion contemporary from profitable the Grand Chess Tour 2026 Tremendous Fast & Blitz Poland, Hans Niemann additionally endured a mercurial begin. He misplaced to Greek GM Nikolas Theodorou, the second-lowest-rated participant within the match, opening his marketing campaign on a sombre notice.
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Uzbek No. 1 Nodirbek Abdusattorov didn’t danger a lot within the opening spherical towards compatriot Nodirbek Yakubboev and performed a secure threefold repetition draw to finish the sport in simply 26 strikes.
UzChess Cup 2026 – Masters Leaderboard after 1st spherical
1. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) – 1
2. Nikolas Theodorou (GRE) – 1
3. Mukhiddin Madaminov (UZB) – 1
4. Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) – 0.5
5. Shamsiddin Vokhidov (UZB) – 0.5
6. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) – 0.5
7. Arjun Erigaisi (IND) – 0.5
8. Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS) – 0
9. Vidit Gujrathi (IND) – 0
10. Hans Moke Niemann (USA) – 0