Oskar Stober Blázquez, the event’s main organizer, expressed his excitement to Chess.com: “Having Leinier join us is remarkable, especially as we mark a decade of this event. Welcoming a world top-ten player, contending for the Candidates spot, is beyond what we imagined.”

Dominguez, the top-rated contender among the 36 grandmasters participating, is on a quest. He’s aiming for one of the two remaining places in the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament. Six out of eight slots are already filled, with one earmarked for the highest-ranked player as of January 2024.

Currently, Grandmaster Wesley So is slightly ahead of Dominguez in the ratings. However, Dominguez has a golden opportunity to overtake So in the upcoming rounds. After a strong performance at the Sinquefield Cup, where he earned 11 rating points, Dominguez is ready to challenge for his spot. “The chance to compete for the Candidates is unique. I’m fully committed,” he shared in an interview in St. Louis.

Chess analyst Tai Pruce-Zimmerman notes that Dominguez is likely to succeed if he gains even a single rating point in Sitges. The details from FIDE about the tie-breaking criteria remain unclear, but activity in recent tournaments could be the deciding factor.

In the race for another qualification route, the FIDE Circuit spot, GM Anish Giri leads. GM Gukesh Dommaraju couldn’t close the gap at the London Chess Classic but has a chance at the upcoming Chennai Grandmasters in India, beginning December 15.

This event in Chennai remains shrouded in anticipation, with participants yet to be announced. However, experts like the German blogger Perlen vom Bodensee speculate that Gukesh, along with other notable grandmasters, will be there.

For now, the spotlight returns to the Chessable Sunway Sitges Chess Festival, commencing on December 12. The festival promises intense competition and a grand prize of €27,155, all set against the backdrop of the Hotel Sunway Playa Golf & SPA in Sitges, Barcelona, Spain.