FIDE Candidates Tournament concludes in Cyprus

The FIDE Candidates Tournament concluded on April 16 at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Cyprus after a 20-day event. The winners of the tournament were 20-year-old Javokhir Sindarov from Uzbekistan and 24-year-old Vaishali Rameshbabu from India. The event featured a total prize fund of one million euros, provided by the Scheinberg family and Freedom Holding Corp. A total of 16 players participated in the competition. President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides delivered a recorded video message praising the participants and the global nature of chess. FIDE First Vice-President Viswanathan Anand and Cyprus Chess Federation President Criton Tornaritis attended the ceremony. Discussions are underway regarding the potential integration of chess into the Cypriot school curriculum, supported by sponsors including Freedom24.