Charlotte, North Carolina — Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov was the standout of the inaugural Naroditsky Memorial Rapid & Blitz, held over the weekend of July 3–5, taking clear victory in both the rapid and the blitz to announce himself as one of the most dangerous speed players in the world.
A Fitting Tribute
The tournament was staged in memory of American grandmaster, author and commentator Daniel Naroditsky (1995–2025), one of the most beloved figures in modern chess — a world-class player who, through his books, streams and lessons, taught a whole generation to love the game. The inaugural edition drew a formidable field to Charlotte, including Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So and Leinier Dominguez, competing across Masters and Challengers sections for a combined $50,000 prize fund.
A memorial that filled the board with exactly what Daniel Naroditsky loved most — fast, fearless, joyful chess.
Sindarov's Double
In the rapid (a seven-round Swiss), Sindarov finished level with India's Aravindh Chithambaram on 6/7, then settled the title with a decisive 2–0 win in the blitz playoff. He carried that momentum straight into the blitz, where he went undefeated in the final to score 7½/9 and finish clear of Wesley So.
| Competition | Winner | How it was won |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid | Javokhir Sindarov | Tied 6/7, then beat Aravindh Chithambaram 2–0 in the playoff |
| Blitz | Javokhir Sindarov | 7½/9 in the final, undefeated; Wesley So 2nd on 7 |
Elsewhere on the Circuit
The same week delivered drama in Europe, where Alireza Firouzja won the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia in Zagreb. Firouzja finished level with Nodirbek Abdusattorov on 23½/36 before taking the rapid playoff to seal the Grand Chess Tour title — a reminder of how thin the margins have become at the very top of speed chess.
The Bigger Picture
For Sindarov, the Charlotte double is more than a strong weekend. Back in April he won the 2026 Candidates Tournament, earning the right to challenge reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju for the crown later this year. On this evidence, the young Uzbek will arrive at that match in ferocious form.
Sources: Naroditsky Memorial 2026 (Wikipedia); 2026 in chess (Wikipedia); Chess.com News.