Javokhir Sindarov and D Gukesh make for a compelling yin-yang pair. Polar opposites in temperament, they represent two completely different approaches to the game, and to life.On one side is Gukesh: usually quiet, intense, utterly focused. The youngest world champion in chess history has chosen to step away from the Global Chess League and the Grand Chess Tour to dedicate himself entirely to his title defence. He wants no distractions.On the other side is Sindarov: chirpy, energetic, seemingly unstoppable. The Uzbek challenger has done the exact opposite. He filled Gukesh’s spot at the GCT as a full tour member, and played in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship, Tata Steel Masters, Naroditsky Memorial, and the Uzbekistan vs USA showdown, among a dozen other events. His trip to Bengaluru for the Global Chess League will be his third visit to an Indian city in less than a year, after Goa and Mumbai.Exposure is one thing, but is he fatiguing himself ahead of the biggest match of his career? Sindarov tries to explain why he plays so much.“I became a top chess player only this year. I was a 2700-rated player, but that doesn’t really count as being a top player. But Gukesh has been a top 10 player for more than three years now, so he has a lot of experience playing against the best in the world,” he tells The Indian Express.“That’s why, whenever I get the chance to play in other tournaments, I want to play. I enjoy playing against top chess players. I want to feel more comfortable in high-level tournaments before the World Championship match, and that’s why I’ve been playing so many events,” he adds.Sindarov has thrown himself deep into the waters. By his theory, if he stays afloat, he’s ready. His travel schedule over the last few months reads more like a world tour: Goa, Mumbai, Doha, Wijk aan Zee, Cyprus, Warsaw, Bucharest, Hong Kong, Charlotte, Miami, Saint Louis, and Bengaluru. After that, he returns to Uzbekistan to help bring the Chess Olympiad’s glory back to his own backyard, in Samarkand.Story continues below this adWhere Gukesh retreats into silence, Sindarov thrives in chaos. Where the champion conserves energy, the challenger burns through it. But Sindarov understands Gukesh’s approach too.“For Gukesh, I understand. Last year he played a lot of tournaments and he didn’t feel very good mentally. He might have felt that he needed to work on certain things. But in my opinion, he’s a very, very strong chess player,” he says.Sindarov is toughening up to face the best version of Gukesh. “I’ve played a lot against him, and I know he can play incredibly well. If he’s in his top form, like we saw in 2024, anything can happen in the match. So I am preparing for his best form,” Sindarov says. World championship contender Javokhir Sindarov speaks to the media at Norway Chess 2026. (Express Photo by Amit Kamath)Playing different events in varied conditions has helped Sindarov grow as a player. As luck would have it, he’s representing his fourth different franchise in the fourth season of the GCL. Having played for Mumbai Masters, Triveni Continental Kings and Ganges Grandmasters in the first three seasons, Sindarov was picked up by the American Gambits this time at the auction.Story continues below this adThe Uzbek says that while he enjoys being a team player, once the game starts, he focuses only on his own board. “In GCL, I’m always playing with new guys, and it’s always very enjoyable. In team tournaments, you always need to think about your own chessboard, but of course you also need to help your teammates. You need to motivate them, support them. I like being a team player, but when it comes to the game, you need to focus only on your own game,” he says.He understands the dynamics of a team event well. The format of the GCL is different, but Sindarov still enjoys it. “In team events, you understand when you need to take a risk, when you need to play slowly. There are many things to consider. With White, for example, you don’t need to lose. You can play for two results. But GCL is a different kind of tournament. There are six boards, different time controls, and the scoring is completely different. If Black wins, they get four points; if White wins, three. It’s a unique format. I would say it’s one of the top team tournaments, very enjoyable. Every year I come very close to fighting for first place, and I really like this format,” he says.After playing different roles in the GCT, on the “Prodigy” or “Superstar” board, this time Sindarov will sit at the top: the “Icon” board. He is especially excited about the prospect of facing Magnus Carlsen.