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A Visual Recap of the 2026 Candidates Tournament

Another fire post by the meistro

Another fire post by the meistro

I did some statistics myself on this tournament
https://adjva4.dpdns.org/@/tpr/blog/candidates-2026-statistics/iygJf9Rx

Indeed, the number of black wins stands out. Black is OK. Black is the new white. Black wins matter.
Two black wins were scored with the Sicilian Najdorf.

Players tend to deviate early from known theory.
Noteworthy is the game Nakamura-Sindarov. Sindarov choose a rare line with O-O, that Nakamura had not prepared, where Nakamura thought for an hour before playing the poor move h4? instead of the known and better Ne4.
Wei Yi avoided the Petrov with 2 Nc3. Sindarov avoided the Petrov with the Four Knights.

I did some statistics myself on this tournament https://adjva4.dpdns.org/@/tpr/blog/candidates-2026-statistics/iygJf9Rx Indeed, the number of black wins stands out. Black is OK. Black is the new white. Black wins matter. Two black wins were scored with the Sicilian Najdorf. Players tend to deviate early from known theory. Noteworthy is the game Nakamura-Sindarov. Sindarov choose a rare line with O-O, that Nakamura had not prepared, where Nakamura thought for an hour before playing the poor move h4? instead of the known and better Ne4. Wei Yi avoided the Petrov with 2 Nc3. Sindarov avoided the Petrov with the Four Knights.

@tpr said ^

Players tend to deviate early from known theory.

It would definitely be interesting to see how early novel positions were reached compared to previous candidates.

@tpr said [^](/forum/redirect/post/v6PJ8pAu) > Players tend to deviate early from known theory. It would definitely be interesting to see how early novel positions were reached compared to previous candidates.

It stays about the same.

Madrid 2022: earliest deviation move 7, latest move 24, average 13, standard deviation 4.
Cyprus 2026: earliest deviation move 6, latest move 24, average 11, standard deviation 3.
https://adjva4.dpdns.org/@/tpr/blog/candidates-2026-statistics/iygJf9Rx
It busts the myth that grandmasters always play 20 moves of theory.
Also note that in 2026 more theory exists than in 2022.
So one would expect later deviations in 2026 than in 2022, which is not the case.

It stays about the same. Madrid 2022: earliest deviation move 7, latest move 24, average 13, standard deviation 4. Cyprus 2026: earliest deviation move 6, latest move 24, average 11, standard deviation 3. https://adjva4.dpdns.org/@/tpr/blog/candidates-2026-statistics/iygJf9Rx It busts the myth that grandmasters always play 20 moves of theory. Also note that in 2026 more theory exists than in 2022. So one would expect later deviations in 2026 than in 2022, which is not the case.

Great analysis and nice statistics, very interesting read!

If you showed someone 20 years ago that post and told them, that the candidates tournament had no Ruy Lopez played and only 7% Sicilian, they probably would have laughed at you :D

Great analysis and nice statistics, very interesting read! If you showed someone 20 years ago that post and told them, that the candidates tournament had no Ruy Lopez played and only 7% Sicilian, they probably would have laughed at you :D

Opening theory is like fashion.

Opening theory is like fashion.

so, neither pragg nor sindarov knows the slow wei to play chess?

and esipenko tied for fewest blunders!? kewl

so, neither pragg nor sindarov knows the slow wei to play chess? and esipenko tied for fewest blunders!? kewl