Suleymenov on Gukesh, Sindarov and the psychological side of chess

11/5/2026 – Chennai has given GM Alisher Suleymenov a title and a reason to return. After winning the 1st Chola Chess International GM Round Robin earlier this year, the Kazakh grandmaster is back for the 1st Chola Chess GM 2026. In this interview with Devansh Singh, he recalls beating a 12-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju and explains why he considers Javokhir Sindarov the favourite in the World Championship match. He also speaks about his ambitions in chess and the importance of staying psychologically strong. | Photo: ChessBase India