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#FIDE #Candidates #Womens #section #Vaishali #stumbles #Zhu #Jiner #titlerace #wide #open">FIDE Candidates 2026 Women’s section: Vaishali stumbles against Zhu Jiner; title-race wide open Grandmaster R. Vaishali succumbed to time pressure as a series of inaccuracies cost her full points in a defeat to Zhu Jiner, who joined her atop the women’s section after Round 12 on Sunday.
The game began with a Caro-Kann Defence, with Vaishali, playing White, opting for an aggressive approach and advancing her h-pawn early.
In the middlegame, Vaishali played 27. d5, blowing open the centre and turning the contest into a tactical race. She followed it up with Qh7 and Qh8 on moves 31 and 33, paralysing Zhu’s back rank and forcing the knight to f8, with the position appearing completely winning for the Indian.
However, as the clock ticked down, Zhu promoted to a second queen with 38. g1=Q+. Vaishali needed to find a precise sequence of checks to force mate or secure a draw, but missed a key safety square for her king. Instead of stabilising, she allowed Zhu to gain tempo, and the Chinese Grandmaster eventually forced her resignation.
Published on Apr 12, 2026
Grandmaster R. Vaishali succumbed to time pressure as a series of inaccuracies cost her full…
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#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 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
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
Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov returned to winning ways, completing a double over R. Praggnanandhaa to extend…
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#FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Vaishali #registers #consecutive #win #Praggnanandhaa #draws #Caruanafide candidates tournament, fide candidates tournament 2026, fide candidates tournament results, fide candidates tournament scores, fide candidates tournament indian results, fide candidates indian results round 7, fide candidates tournament round 7 results, praggnanandhaa, vaishali, divya deshmukh, sindarov, javokhir sindarov">FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Round 7: Vaishali registers second consecutive win, Praggnanandhaa draws with Caruana
Grandmaster R Vaishali made something out of nothing, and in style, bagging full points to move to four out of seven after defeating Tan Zhongyi in a game that had been heading towards a draw until the middlegame. The win lifts Vaishali to second in the standings, behind leader Anna Muzychuk.
Zhongyi’s blunder in the sequence around moves 36 to 38 — Rc6, Kg7, Ra1 — ensured Vaishali walked away with the full point. Zhongyi began pushing pawns on the flank instead of consolidating her king position, and one of Vaishali’s key moments came on move 38 with Rxf6, winning a pawn and opening lines towards the black king.
Zhongyi then erred further with Kxf6, exposing her king without a pawn shield. Vaishali’s rooks and king coordinated better thereafter, as she built up activity and converted the advantage, forcing Zhongyi to resign.
ALSO READ: Praggnanandhaa very much in contention for Candidates title: chess coach Shyam Sundar
In the women’s section, Muzychuk held on to her lead with 4.5 points after drawing against Bibisara and Zhu Jiner was held to a draw by Aleksandra Goryachkina.
In the open section, R Praggnanandhaa once again pushed for a result but eventually settled for a threefold-repetition draw against Fabiano Caruana.
Earlier in the day, Hikaru Nakamura, enduring a difficult tournament, drew against Matthias Bluebaum.
Anish Giri finally held Javokhir Sindarov to a draw, bringing an end to Sindarov’s winning run. Despite the result, Sindarov continues to lead the open section with six points from seven rounds heading into the rest day on Monday.
China’s Wei Yi defeated Andrey Esipenko.
Published on Apr 05, 2026
Grandmaster R Vaishali made something out of nothing, and in style, bagging full points to move to four out of seven after defeating Tan Zhongyi in a game that had been heading towards a draw until the middlegame. The win lifts Vaishali to second in the standings, behind leader Anna Muzychuk.
Zhongyi’s blunder in the sequence around moves 36 to 38 — Rc6, Kg7, Ra1 — ensured Vaishali walked away with the full point. Zhongyi began pushing pawns on the flank instead of consolidating her king position, and one of Vaishali’s key moments came on move 38 with Rxf6, winning a pawn and opening lines towards the black king.
Zhongyi then erred further with Kxf6, exposing her king without a pawn shield. Vaishali’s rooks and king coordinated better thereafter, as she built up activity and converted the advantage, forcing Zhongyi to resign.
ALSO READ: Praggnanandhaa very much in contention for Candidates title: chess coach Shyam Sundar
In the women’s section, Muzychuk held on to her lead with 4.5 points after drawing against Bibisara and Zhu Jiner was held to a draw by Aleksandra Goryachkina.
In the open section, R Praggnanandhaa once again pushed for a result but eventually settled for a threefold-repetition draw against Fabiano Caruana.
Earlier in the day, Hikaru Nakamura, enduring a difficult tournament, drew against Matthias Bluebaum.
Anish Giri finally held Javokhir Sindarov to a draw, bringing an end to Sindarov’s winning run. Despite the result, Sindarov continues to lead the open section with six points from seven rounds heading into the rest day on Monday.
China’s Wei Yi defeated Andrey Esipenko.
Published on Apr 05, 2026
Grandmaster R Vaishali made something out of nothing, and in style, bagging full points to…
