Welcome to Sportstar’s coverage of the twelfth round of the FIDE Candidates 2026 tournament happening in Cyprus on Saturday.
R Praggnanandhaa (Black) vs Andrey Esipenko (White) – R 12 Board
R Vaishali (White) vs Zhu Jiner (Black) – R 12 Board
Divya Deshmukh (White) vs Tan Zhongyi (Black) – R 12 Board
April 12, 2026 17:49
Hikaru Nakamura records second-longest move in FIDE Candidates history
Hikaru Nakamura records second-longest move in FIDE Candidates history during loss vs Javokhir Sindarov
American GM Hikaru Nakamura spent over one hour to make a move during a FIDE Candidates 2026 match against Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov on Friday in Cyprus.
April 12, 2026 17:49
Sindarov leads the open section
Sindarov and Nakamura’s clash earlier in the tournament would be remembered for Nakamura taking more than an hour to make a move, a record in itself. It’d be interesting to see whether the Uzbekistan GM bags another victory that almost wins him the Candidates title or whether Nakamura pulls off an upset.
April 12, 2026 17:46
Can Divya pick a win tonight
Divya Deshmukh is placed seventh in the standings and will face Tan Zhongyi, against whom she had drawn earlier in the tournament.
April 12, 2026 17:37
Earlier in the tournament
Zhu Jiner defeated Vaishali in Round five. Today, Vaishali will play with the White pieces, looking to consolidate her lead heading into the rest day tomorrow.
April 12, 2026 17:36
Important match for Vaishali today
R Vaishali leads the tournament with 7/11 points after a Round 11 victory over Aleksandra Goryachkina yesterday, holding a one-point advantage over the chasing pack, which includes today’s opponent, Zhu Jiner.
April 12, 2026 17:34
Women’s section pairings for today
Anna Muzychuk — Aleksandra Goryachkina Vaishali Rameshbabu — Zhu Jiner Divya Deshmukh — Tan Zhongyi Bibisara Assaubayeva — Kateryna Lagno
April 12, 2026 17:34
Open section pairings for Round 12 today
Andrey Esipenko — Praggnanandhaa R Matthias Bluebaum — Fabiano Caruana Javokhir Sindarov — Hikaru Nakamura Wei Yi — Anish Giri
April 12, 2026 17:33
It is Round 12 today
Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s coverage of the FIDE Candidates 2026 taking place in Cyprus.
FIDE Candidates 2026: Check out all live updates from Round 12 of the Candidates tournament happening in Cyprus on Sunday.
Updated : Apr 12, 2026 17:49 IST
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Welcome to Sportstar’s coverage of the twelfth round of the FIDE Candidates 2026 tournament happening in Cyprus on Saturday.
R Praggnanandhaa (Black) vs Andrey Esipenko (White) – R 12 Board
R Vaishali (White) vs Zhu Jiner (Black) – R 12 Board
Divya Deshmukh (White) vs Tan Zhongyi (Black) – R 12 Board
April 12, 2026 17:49
Hikaru Nakamura records second-longest move in FIDE Candidates history
Hikaru Nakamura records second-longest move in FIDE Candidates history during loss vs Javokhir Sindarov
American GM Hikaru Nakamura spent over one hour to make a move during a FIDE Candidates 2026 match against Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov on Friday in Cyprus.
April 12, 2026 17:49
Sindarov leads the open section
Sindarov and Nakamura’s clash earlier in the tournament would be remembered for Nakamura taking more than an hour to make a move, a record in itself. It’d be interesting to see whether the Uzbekistan GM bags another victory that almost wins him the Candidates title or whether Nakamura pulls off an upset.
April 12, 2026 17:46
Can Divya pick a win tonight
Divya Deshmukh is placed seventh in the standings and will face Tan Zhongyi, against whom she had drawn earlier in the tournament.
April 12, 2026 17:37
Earlier in the tournament
Zhu Jiner defeated Vaishali in Round five. Today, Vaishali will play with the White pieces, looking to consolidate her lead heading into the rest day tomorrow.
April 12, 2026 17:36
Important match for Vaishali today
R Vaishali leads the tournament with 7/11 points after a Round 11 victory over Aleksandra Goryachkina yesterday, holding a one-point advantage over the chasing pack, which includes today’s opponent, Zhu Jiner.
April 12, 2026 17:34
Women’s section pairings for today
Anna Muzychuk — Aleksandra Goryachkina Vaishali Rameshbabu — Zhu Jiner Divya Deshmukh — Tan Zhongyi Bibisara Assaubayeva — Kateryna Lagno
April 12, 2026 17:34
Open section pairings for Round 12 today
Andrey Esipenko — Praggnanandhaa R Matthias Bluebaum — Fabiano Caruana Javokhir Sindarov — Hikaru Nakamura Wei Yi — Anish Giri
April 12, 2026 17:33
It is Round 12 today
Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s coverage of the FIDE Candidates 2026 taking place in Cyprus.
#Deadspin #Rafael #Devers #homers #power #Giants #Pirates">Deadspin | Rafael Devers homers to power Giants past Pirates
May 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (16) looks toward the dugout after hitting a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Robbie Ray threw six effective innings, Luis Arraez broke open a close game with a two-run single in the seventh and the San Francisco Giants opened a three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 5-2 victory Friday night.
Rafael Devers homered, singled and scored twice for the Giants, who had lost eight of their previous nine games.
After Devers and Pittsburgh’s Marcell Ozuna traded solo homers in the early going, San Francisco took the lead for good against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski (2-3) in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Heliot Ramos.
The homers were the fourth of the season for both Devers and Ozuna.
The score remained 2-1 until Drew Gilbert drove in Willy Adames with a single in the seventh. Three batters later, Arraez stroked his single to right, sending Gilbert and Ramos home to complete San Francisco’s scoring.
Ray (3-4) left a 2-1 game after throwing 93 pitches in his six innings. He gave up four hits and four walks while striking out seven in ending a personal three-game losing streak.
After Keaton Winn and Matt Gage threw a hitless inning apiece, the Pirates made things interesting against Caleb Kilian in the ninth.
Pittsburgh got within 5-2 on a one-out, RBI single by pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz, before Kilian got Brandon Lowe to pop up and pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn to ground to third when both represented the potential tying run.
In losing for the third time in his last four starts, Mlodzinski allowed just two runs and seven hits in his six innings. He struck out one and didn’t walk anyone.
Adames, Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee joined Devers with two hits apiece for the Giants, whose 12 hits were the team’s most since 13 in a 10-inning loss at Philadelphia last Thursday.
Ozuna added a single to his home run for the Pirates, who totaled just five hits. The loss was just Pittsburgh’s second in its last seven games.
The homers by Devers and Ozuna, and a double by Ramos, were the only extra-base hits of the contest.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JANUARY 31: Taylor Twellman plays his shot from the first tee during the third round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions 2026 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) Getty Images
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JANUARY 31: Taylor Twellman plays his shot from the first tee during the third round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions 2026 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) Getty Images
#Taylor #Twellman #credits #golf #saving #life">Taylor Twellman credits golf for saving his life
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JANUARY 31: Taylor Twellman plays his shot from the first tee during the third round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions 2026 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) Getty Images
#P.R #Sreejesh #OIympic #medals #hold #teapoy #home">Why P.R. Sreejesh keeps his OIympic medals out for anyone to hold on the teapoy at home
Athletes who win international medals often have elaborate showcases at home to safely display their silverware. P.R. Sreejesh is no exception.
At his residence in Kizhakkambalam, a farming village near Kochi, a rummage through cluttered showcases might uncover a Khel Ratna, an Arjuna Award, or even a Padma Award — but not the Olympic medals from the Tokyo and Paris Summer Games.
They’re hidden in plain sight, right in the middle of the living room, casually placed on top of the coffee table. The only thing keeping them from being mistaken for coasters is the multi-coloured ribbons attached to them.
“My medals are always on the teapoy. A lot of people come here who want to see and touch them. We don’t have the right to shove them away in a showcase and say they can’t be touched,” the two-time Olympic bronze medallist told Sportstar.
“So, they’re right here. When a child comes and holds these medals, they should feel inspired to earn one of their own.
“When we go to temples, praying to an idol feels like a big deal — a marvel, a miracle. But these medals aren’t like that. They’re real. People touching them should realise that this is something they can work toward and achieve.”
Sreejesh is pragmatic. He knows effecting sweeping changes are easier said than done, but believes that even one life touched is good enough.
“Out of 100 people who touch the medals, if even one feels a strong desire, that’s all we need. We won’t be able to change an entire generation, but if we can inspire one person out of 100, that’s job done,” he remarked with quiet pride.
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