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Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov returned to winning ways, completing a double over R. Praggnanandhaa to extend his sole lead in the Open section of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026 in Cyprus on Thursday.

Anish Giri’s draw against Hikaru Nakamura helped Sindarov open up a two-point gap heading into the rest day on Friday.

Praggnanandhaa started well, but a decisive error on move 22, when he played Bd7, proved costly. Instead of consolidating, the move allowed Sindarov to intensify pressure on the king and along the f-file.

Sindarov capitalised immediately with 23. Rf7, a knockout blow that forced matters. He followed it up with a temporary exchange sacrifice to drag the Black king into the open.

With 25. Qf4+ Kg7 and 28. Qxd7, Sindarov seized complete control, maintaining the initiative with a series of checks. He later activated his rooks, leaving Praggnanandhaa neutralised and without counterplay.

ALSO READ: Check out updates from Round 10 of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026

Sindarov maintained his grip on the position as Praggnanandhaa resigned in a lost position.

In the women’s section, R. Vaishali absorbed Anna Muzychuk’s kingside push with timely exchanges and central breaks, simplifying into a balanced endgame to secure a draw.

In the middlegame, Vaishali centralised her bishop and opened the kingside on her terms rather than defending passively.

Between 37. f5+ Kf7 and 38. Kf4 d5, she neutralised White’s pawn breaks while keeping her king safe.

Towards the end, the position was fully equalised, and any attempt to push would have risked overextension, as the game ended in a draw.

Published on Apr 09, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #punishes #Praggnanandhaas #slip #stay #clear #top #Vaishali #draws #Muzychuk">

FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Round 10: Sindarov punishes Praggnanandhaa’s slip to stay clear at the top; Vaishali draws with Muzychuk Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov returned to winning ways, completing a double over R. Praggnanandhaa to extend his sole lead in the Open section of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026 in Cyprus on Thursday.Anish Giri’s draw against Hikaru Nakamura helped Sindarov open up a two-point gap heading into the rest day on Friday.Praggnanandhaa started well, but a decisive error on move 22, when he played Bd7, proved costly. Instead of consolidating, the move allowed Sindarov to intensify pressure on the king and along the f-file.Sindarov capitalised immediately with 23. Rf7, a knockout blow that forced matters. He followed it up with a temporary exchange sacrifice to drag the Black king into the open.With 25. Qf4+ Kg7 and 28. Qxd7, Sindarov seized complete control, maintaining the initiative with a series of checks. He later activated his rooks, leaving Praggnanandhaa neutralised and without counterplay.ALSO READ: Check out updates from Round 10 of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026Sindarov maintained his grip on the position as Praggnanandhaa resigned in a lost position.In the women’s section, R. Vaishali absorbed Anna Muzychuk’s kingside push with timely exchanges and central breaks, simplifying into a balanced endgame to secure a draw.In the middlegame, Vaishali centralised her bishop and opened the kingside on her terms rather than defending passively.Between 37. f5+ Kf7 and 38. Kf4 d5, she neutralised White’s pawn breaks while keeping her king safe.Towards the end, the position was fully equalised, and any attempt to push would have risked overextension, as the game ended in a draw.Published on Apr 09, 2026 #FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #punishes #Praggnanandhaas #slip #stay #clear #top #Vaishali #draws #Muzychuk

April 9, 2026

Sports news

Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov returned to winning ways, completing a double over R. Praggnanandhaa to extend his sole lead in the Open section of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026 in Cyprus on Thursday.
Anish Giri’s draw against Hikaru Nakamura helped Sindarov open up a two-point gap heading into the rest day on Friday.
Praggnanandhaa started well, but a decisive error on move 22, when he played Bd7, proved costly. Instead of consolidating, the move allowed Sindarov to intensify pressure on the king and along the f-file.
Sindarov capitalised immediately with 23. Rf7, a knockout blow that forced matters. He followed it up with a temporary exchange sacrifice to drag the Black king into the open.
With 25. Qf4+ Kg7 and 28. Qxd7, Sindarov seized complete control, maintaining the initiative with a series of checks. He later activated his rooks, leaving Praggnanandhaa neutralised and without counterplay.
ALSO READ: Check out updates from Round 10 of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026
Sindarov maintained his grip on the position as Praggnanandhaa resigned in a lost position.
In the women’s section, R. Vaishali absorbed Anna Muzychuk’s kingside push with timely exchanges and central breaks, simplifying into a balanced endgame to secure a draw.
In the middlegame, Vaishali centralised her bishop and opened the kingside on her terms rather than defending passively.
Between 37. f5+ Kf7 and 38. Kf4 d5, she neutralised White’s pawn breaks while keeping her king safe.
Towards the end, the position was fully equalised, and any attempt to push would have risked overextension, as the game ended in a draw.
Published on Apr 09, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #punishes #Praggnanandhaas #slip #stay #clear #top #Vaishali #draws #Muzychuk">FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Round 10: Sindarov punishes Praggnanandhaa’s slip to stay clear at the top; Vaishali draws with Muzychuk

Anish Giri’s draw against Hikaru Nakamura helped Sindarov open up a two-point gap heading into the rest day on Friday.

Sindarov capitalised immediately with 23. Rf7, a knockout blow that forced matters. He followed it up with a temporary exchange sacrifice to drag the Black king into the open.

ALSO READ: Check out updates from Round 10 of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026

Sindarov maintained his grip on the position as Praggnanandhaa resigned in a lost position.

In the women’s section, R. Vaishali absorbed Anna Muzychuk’s kingside push with timely exchanges and central breaks, simplifying into a balanced endgame to secure a draw.

In the middlegame, Vaishali centralised her bishop and opened the kingside on her terms rather than defending passively.

Between 37. f5+ Kf7 and 38. Kf4 d5, she neutralised White’s pawn breaks while keeping her king safe.

Towards the end, the position was fully equalised, and any attempt to push would have risked overextension, as the game ended in a draw.

Published on Apr 09, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #punishes #Praggnanandhaas #slip #stay #clear #top #Vaishali #draws #Muzychuk

Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov returned to winning ways, completing a double over R. Praggnanandhaa to extend…

R. Vaishali beat compatriot Divya Deshmukh to move into joint lead with Zhu Jiner after Round 9 of the ongoing FIDE Candidates on Wednesday.

Zhu Jiner defeated Kateryna Lagno.

Vaishali capitalised on Divya’s central misjudgement, with a decisive seventh-rank invasion proving the difference.

Divya overcommitted with Nd3, conceding central control and creating a pawn weakness rather than a strength. Moves such as Rxc6 and Bc7 allowed Vaishali to activate her queen and rooks, taking control of the open files and diagonals.

From 28. Rb1 to Rb7, Vaishali invaded the seventh rank, targeted weak pawns and, with Divya reduced to seconds on the clock, forced a resignation.

In another key result, R. Praggnanandhaa pressed Wei Yi, particularly with move 32. Nd6, a strong move that put pressure on Black’s structure.

ALSO READ: Highlights from Round 9 on Wednesday

It gave Praggnanandhaa more active pieces, and he followed it up with 35. Rxe4, a double attack that opened lines and targeted multiple weaknesses at once. Despite the activity, there was no decisive pawn break, while Wei Yi consolidated well and kept his king relatively safe.

Praggnanandhaa continued probing with moves such as Rc3, Rc7 and Nd6, but Wei Yi had sufficient coordination to neutralise the threats as the game ended in a draw.

Elsewhere, table-topper Javokhir Sindarov endured his second successive draw after letting a winning position slip against Matthias Bluebaum.

Anish Giri defeated Fabiano Caruana, and Andrey Esipenko held Hikaru Nakamura to a draw.

In the women’s section, Anna Muzychuk drew with Tan Zhongyi, while Aleksandra Goryachkina drew with Bibisara Assaubayeva.

Published on Apr 08, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Vaishali #beats #Divya #jointtop #Sindarov #held #straight #draw">

FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Round 9: Vaishali beats Divya to go joint-top, Sindarov held to second straight draw R. Vaishali beat compatriot Divya Deshmukh to move into joint lead with Zhu Jiner after Round 9 of the ongoing FIDE Candidates on Wednesday.Zhu Jiner defeated Kateryna Lagno.Vaishali capitalised on Divya’s central misjudgement, with a decisive seventh-rank invasion proving the difference.Divya overcommitted with Nd3, conceding central control and creating a pawn weakness rather than a strength. Moves such as Rxc6 and Bc7 allowed Vaishali to activate her queen and rooks, taking control of the open files and diagonals.From 28. Rb1 to Rb7, Vaishali invaded the seventh rank, targeted weak pawns and, with Divya reduced to seconds on the clock, forced a resignation.In another key result, R. Praggnanandhaa pressed Wei Yi, particularly with move 32. Nd6, a strong move that put pressure on Black’s structure.ALSO READ: Highlights from Round 9 on WednesdayIt gave Praggnanandhaa more active pieces, and he followed it up with 35. Rxe4, a double attack that opened lines and targeted multiple weaknesses at once. Despite the activity, there was no decisive pawn break, while Wei Yi consolidated well and kept his king relatively safe.Praggnanandhaa continued probing with moves such as Rc3, Rc7 and Nd6, but Wei Yi had sufficient coordination to neutralise the threats as the game ended in a draw.Elsewhere, table-topper Javokhir Sindarov endured his second successive draw after letting a winning position slip against Matthias Bluebaum.Anish Giri defeated Fabiano Caruana, and Andrey Esipenko held Hikaru Nakamura to a draw.In the women’s section, Anna Muzychuk drew with Tan Zhongyi, while Aleksandra Goryachkina drew with Bibisara Assaubayeva.Published on Apr 08, 2026 #FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Vaishali #beats #Divya #jointtop #Sindarov #held #straight #draw

April 8, 2026

Sports news

R. Vaishali beat compatriot Divya Deshmukh to move into joint lead with Zhu Jiner after Round 9 of the ongoing FIDE Candidates on Wednesday.
Zhu Jiner defeated Kateryna Lagno.
Vaishali capitalised on Divya’s central misjudgement, with a decisive seventh-rank invasion proving the difference.
Divya overcommitted with Nd3, conceding central control and creating a pawn weakness rather than a strength. Moves such as Rxc6 and Bc7 allowed Vaishali to activate her queen and rooks, taking control of the open files and diagonals.
From 28. Rb1 to Rb7, Vaishali invaded the seventh rank, targeted weak pawns and, with Divya reduced to seconds on the clock, forced a resignation.
In another key result, R. Praggnanandhaa pressed Wei Yi, particularly with move 32. Nd6, a strong move that put pressure on Black’s structure.
ALSO READ: Highlights from Round 9 on Wednesday
It gave Praggnanandhaa more active pieces, and he followed it up with 35. Rxe4, a double attack that opened lines and targeted multiple weaknesses at once. Despite the activity, there was no decisive pawn break, while Wei Yi consolidated well and kept his king relatively safe.
Praggnanandhaa continued probing with moves such as Rc3, Rc7 and Nd6, but Wei Yi had sufficient coordination to neutralise the threats as the game ended in a draw.
Elsewhere, table-topper Javokhir Sindarov endured his second successive draw after letting a winning position slip against Matthias Bluebaum.
Anish Giri defeated Fabiano Caruana, and Andrey Esipenko held Hikaru Nakamura to a draw.
In the women’s section, Anna Muzychuk drew with Tan Zhongyi, while Aleksandra Goryachkina drew with Bibisara Assaubayeva.
Published on Apr 08, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Vaishali #beats #Divya #jointtop #Sindarov #held #straight #draw">FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Round 9: Vaishali beats Divya to go joint-top, Sindarov held to second straight draw

R. Vaishali beat compatriot Divya Deshmukh to move into joint lead with Zhu Jiner after Round 9 of the ongoing FIDE Candidates on Wednesday.

Zhu Jiner defeated Kateryna Lagno.

Vaishali capitalised on Divya’s central misjudgement, with a decisive seventh-rank invasion proving the difference.

From 28. Rb1 to Rb7, Vaishali invaded the seventh rank, targeted weak pawns and, with Divya reduced to seconds on the clock, forced a resignation.

In another key result, R. Praggnanandhaa pressed Wei Yi, particularly with move 32. Nd6, a strong move that put pressure on Black’s structure.

ALSO READ: Highlights from Round 9 on Wednesday

Praggnanandhaa continued probing with moves such as Rc3, Rc7 and Nd6, but Wei Yi had sufficient coordination to neutralise the threats as the game ended in a draw.

Elsewhere, table-topper Javokhir Sindarov endured his second successive draw after letting a winning position slip against Matthias Bluebaum.

Anish Giri defeated Fabiano Caruana, and Andrey Esipenko held Hikaru Nakamura to a draw.

In the women’s section, Anna Muzychuk drew with Tan Zhongyi, while Aleksandra Goryachkina drew with Bibisara Assaubayeva.

Published on Apr 08, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Vaishali #beats #Divya #jointtop #Sindarov #held #straight #draw

R. Vaishali beat compatriot Divya Deshmukh to move into joint lead with Zhu Jiner after…

Divya Deshmukh produced one of the standout results of the round, toppling leader Anna Muzychuk to share the lead at the ongoing FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus on Tuesday.

Playing her first Candidates, Divya weathered sustained pressure before turning the game around in the closing stages. The result lifted her to joint-top alongside Muzychuk, R Vaishali, Zhu Jiner and Kateryna Lagno.

For much of the middlegame and early endgame, Muzychuk appeared in control, maintaining pressure and keeping Divya tied down. The position drifted towards equality, with a draw looking the likely outcome as the players entered a queen endgame.

The turning point came in the sequence beginning 76.Qc8+ Kf5 77.Qh8+ Kg6 78.Qg8+ Kh6, when Divya began forcing checks. Instead of repeating moves, she kept the king on the move, gradually exposing it.

On move 80, Muzychuk chose Kh5, stepping further into the open. Divya seized the moment, forcing the king into a narrow corridor before switching from checks to a decisive attack, leaving Muzychuk without a safe continuation.

ALSO READ: Check out all the live updates from Round 8 as it happened, over here

In the other games in the women’s section, Vaishali drew against Bibisara Assaubayeva, Lagno defeated Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Zhu Jiner beat Tan Zhongyi.

In the open section, leader Javokhir Sindarov could not complete a double over Andrey Esipenko, as their second-half encounter ended in a draw.

The game began at a brisk pace and remained balanced between moves 11 and 18, with both players simplifying the centre and activating their pieces. The critical moment came on move 17, when Sindarov played Na5 to target the c6 bishop, but the sequence that followed led to further simplification. By move 19, both kings were relatively safe, with no clear pawn breaks or attacking chances, and the game drifted towards a draw.

Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa’s bid to close the gap on Sindarov suffered a setback, as Anish Giri avenged his first-round loss with a win.

The game remained relatively balanced into the middlegame, but Praggnanandhaa never looked entirely comfortable, with Giri gradually building pressure. The decisive moment came with 36.e6, which created a dangerous passed pawn and disrupted Black’s coordination.

Praggnanandhaa attempted counterplay with 38…h5, but it backfired, forcing him into a passive position. Giri then seized the initiative with 41.Rf8+ Kh7, and with the black king exposed in the final phase, Praggnanandhaa was compelled to resign.

Hikaru Nakamura registered his first win of the tournament, defeating Fabiano Caruana, while Wei Yi drew against Matthias Bluebaum.

Published on Apr 07, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #drops #points #held #draw #Esipenko">

FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Round 8: Sindarov drops points, held to draw by Esipenko Divya Deshmukh produced one of the standout results of the round, toppling leader Anna Muzychuk to share the lead at the ongoing FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus on Tuesday.Playing her first Candidates, Divya weathered sustained pressure before turning the game around in the closing stages. The result lifted her to joint-top alongside Muzychuk, R Vaishali, Zhu Jiner and Kateryna Lagno.For much of the middlegame and early endgame, Muzychuk appeared in control, maintaining pressure and keeping Divya tied down. The position drifted towards equality, with a draw looking the likely outcome as the players entered a queen endgame.The turning point came in the sequence beginning 76.Qc8+ Kf5 77.Qh8+ Kg6 78.Qg8+ Kh6, when Divya began forcing checks. Instead of repeating moves, she kept the king on the move, gradually exposing it.On move 80, Muzychuk chose Kh5, stepping further into the open. Divya seized the moment, forcing the king into a narrow corridor before switching from checks to a decisive attack, leaving Muzychuk without a safe continuation.ALSO READ: Check out all the live updates from Round 8 as it happened, over hereIn the other games in the women’s section, Vaishali drew against Bibisara Assaubayeva, Lagno defeated Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Zhu Jiner beat Tan Zhongyi.In the open section, leader Javokhir Sindarov could not complete a double over Andrey Esipenko, as their second-half encounter ended in a draw.The game began at a brisk pace and remained balanced between moves 11 and 18, with both players simplifying the centre and activating their pieces. The critical moment came on move 17, when Sindarov played Na5 to target the c6 bishop, but the sequence that followed led to further simplification. By move 19, both kings were relatively safe, with no clear pawn breaks or attacking chances, and the game drifted towards a draw.Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa’s bid to close the gap on Sindarov suffered a setback, as Anish Giri avenged his first-round loss with a win.The game remained relatively balanced into the middlegame, but Praggnanandhaa never looked entirely comfortable, with Giri gradually building pressure. The decisive moment came with 36.e6, which created a dangerous passed pawn and disrupted Black’s coordination.Praggnanandhaa attempted counterplay with 38…h5, but it backfired, forcing him into a passive position. Giri then seized the initiative with 41.Rf8+ Kh7, and with the black king exposed in the final phase, Praggnanandhaa was compelled to resign.Hikaru Nakamura registered his first win of the tournament, defeating Fabiano Caruana, while Wei Yi drew against Matthias Bluebaum.Published on Apr 07, 2026 #FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #drops #points #held #draw #Esipenko

April 7, 2026

Sports news

Divya Deshmukh produced one of the standout results of the round, toppling leader Anna Muzychuk to share the lead at the ongoing FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus on Tuesday.
Playing her first Candidates, Divya weathered sustained pressure before turning the game around in the closing stages. The result lifted her to joint-top alongside Muzychuk, R Vaishali, Zhu Jiner and Kateryna Lagno.
For much of the middlegame and early endgame, Muzychuk appeared in control, maintaining pressure and keeping Divya tied down. The position drifted towards equality, with a draw looking the likely outcome as the players entered a queen endgame.
The turning point came in the sequence beginning 76.Qc8+ Kf5 77.Qh8+ Kg6 78.Qg8+ Kh6, when Divya began forcing checks. Instead of repeating moves, she kept the king on the move, gradually exposing it.
On move 80, Muzychuk chose Kh5, stepping further into the open. Divya seized the moment, forcing the king into a narrow corridor before switching from checks to a decisive attack, leaving Muzychuk without a safe continuation.
ALSO READ: Check out all the live updates from Round 8 as it happened, over here
In the other games in the women’s section, Vaishali drew against Bibisara Assaubayeva, Lagno defeated Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Zhu Jiner beat Tan Zhongyi.
In the open section, leader Javokhir Sindarov could not complete a double over Andrey Esipenko, as their second-half encounter ended in a draw.
The game began at a brisk pace and remained balanced between moves 11 and 18, with both players simplifying the centre and activating their pieces. The critical moment came on move 17, when Sindarov played Na5 to target the c6 bishop, but the sequence that followed led to further simplification. By move 19, both kings were relatively safe, with no clear pawn breaks or attacking chances, and the game drifted towards a draw.
Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa’s bid to close the gap on Sindarov suffered a setback, as Anish Giri avenged his first-round loss with a win.
The game remained relatively balanced into the middlegame, but Praggnanandhaa never looked entirely comfortable, with Giri gradually building pressure. The decisive moment came with 36.e6, which created a dangerous passed pawn and disrupted Black’s coordination.
Praggnanandhaa attempted counterplay with 38…h5, but it backfired, forcing him into a passive position. Giri then seized the initiative with 41.Rf8+ Kh7, and with the black king exposed in the final phase, Praggnanandhaa was compelled to resign.
Hikaru Nakamura registered his first win of the tournament, defeating Fabiano Caruana, while Wei Yi drew against Matthias Bluebaum.
Published on Apr 07, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #drops #points #held #draw #Esipenko">FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Round 8: Sindarov drops points, held to draw by Esipenko

Divya Deshmukh produced one of the standout results of the round, toppling leader Anna Muzychuk to share the lead at the ongoing FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: Check out all the live updates from Round 8 as it happened, over here

In the other games in the women’s section, Vaishali drew against Bibisara Assaubayeva, Lagno defeated Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Zhu Jiner beat Tan Zhongyi.

In the open section, leader Javokhir Sindarov could not complete a double over Andrey Esipenko, as their second-half encounter ended in a draw.

Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa’s bid to close the gap on Sindarov suffered a setback, as Anish Giri avenged his first-round loss with a win.

Hikaru Nakamura registered his first win of the tournament, defeating Fabiano Caruana, while Wei Yi drew against Matthias Bluebaum.

Published on Apr 07, 2026

#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #drops #points #held #draw #Esipenko

Divya Deshmukh produced one of the standout results of the round, toppling leader Anna Muzychuk…

FIDE Candidates 2026: Catch all the Highlights from Round 8 of the Candidates tournament happening in Cyprus on Tuesday.

FIDE Candidates 2026: Catch all the Highlights from Round 8 of the Candidates tournament happening in Cyprus on Tuesday.

Praggnanandhaa may have slowed down a bit but mentally he’s peaking for Candidates: Anand