The highly anticipated 2026 Candidates Tournament launched with remarkable intensity, as three out of four opening games concluded with decisive results. Notably, all three victories were clinched by players utilizing the white pieces, creating an immediate impact on the standings. In a high-stakes American rivalry, Fabiano Caruana emerged victorious against top seed Hikaru Nakamura. Meanwhile, India’s chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu skillfully defeated Anish Giri, and Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan claimed a significant win over Andrey Esipenko. The sole draw of the round occurred in the match between Matthias Bluebaum and Wei Yi, leaving fans eager for more action after an exciting first day.








