Vaishali overcomes slow start to win Women’s Candidates 2026; Viswanathan Anand hails her composure The build-up to the women’s section of the FIDE Candidates 2026 was dominated by Koneru Humpy’s shock withdrawal a week before the tournament, citing personal safety concerns amid the conflict in the Middle East.Attention then shifted to Divya Deshmukh. One of the youngest participants in the field, she had qualified by winning the Women’s World Cup 2025 and arrived as one of the favourites. Her recent form added to the expectations, having finished third at the Prague Chess Festival in March 2026 to break into the women’s top 10 for the first time in her career.Much of the Indian focus revolved around these two Grandmasters. Yet, as the Candidates drew to a close, neither of them were in the scheme of things, with Divya falling out of title contention after a poor second half.Away from the spotlight, R. Vaishali entered her second Candidates tournament as the lowest-rated player in the field, with a rating of 2470 and a world ranking of 19. She had qualified by winning the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss, but few had placed her among the leading contenders.What followed was a tale of two halves for the Indian Grandmaster, who would go on to script history by winning the Candidates, becoming the first Indian to claim the women’s title, and earning the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the World Championship crown.RELATED | Full list of FIDE Women’s Candidates winners“Fantastic result. She pulled it off in the end, after a slightly bumpy ride in the final three rounds. But she showed the most stability, and Vaishali hung in there,” said five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on ChessBase India’s live stream.She made a slow start, drawing her first four games before suffering her first defeat to Zhu Jiner. At that stage, both Divya and Vaishali were on two points and placed in the bottom half of the standings, while Anna Muzychuk and Zhu were setting the pace.Vaishali gained momentum with a win over Tan Zhongyi in Round 7, a result that lifted her to second in the standings behind Muzychuk. But, the 24-year-old wasn’t entirely happy with the result.“It was a horrible game. I don’t deserve this point at all. She just blundered towards the end. It was a bad game from the start, everything went wrong from the beginning,” said Vaishali after her win over Tan.That game had seemed headed for a draw until Tan began advancing her pawns on the flank, leaving her king exposed. Vaishali capitalised, coordinating her rooks and king to force resignation.It marked her second successive win, following a victory over Kateryna Lagno in Round 6. She then went on to beat compatriot Divya in Round 9, and Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 11, building steam towards the finish.Zhu dealt her another defeat, in Round 12. But, a draw against Tan in the penultimate round set up a final-day decider.The Indian Grandmaster, who had begun the tournament quietly, held her nerve in Round 14, defeating Kateryna Lagno to seal a memorable triumph.“Good opening preparation caught Lagno off guard in Round 14. It was a great start and a strong fight, and eventually she got the job done. With all the final-day pressure, it would have been really hard, so it’s a big relief in the end,” Anand added.Published on Apr 16, 2026 #Vaishali #overcomes #slow #start #win #Womens #Candidates #Viswanathan #Anand #hails #composure

Vaishali overcomes slow start to win Women’s Candidates 2026; Viswanathan Anand hails her composure
The build-up to the women’s section of the FIDE Candidates 2026 was dominated by Koneru Humpy’s shock withdrawal a week before the tournament, citing personal safety concerns amid the conflict in the Middle East.
Attention then shifted to Divya Deshmukh. One of the youngest participants in the field, she had qualified by winning the Women’s World Cup 2025 and arrived as one of the favourites. Her recent form added to the expectations, having finished third at the Prague Chess Festival in March 2026 to break into the women’s top 10 for the first time in her career.
Much of the Indian focus revolved around these two Grandmasters. Yet, as the Candidates drew to a close, neither of them were in the scheme of things, with Divya falling out of title contention after a poor second half.
Away from the spotlight, R. Vaishali entered her second Candidates tournament as the lowest-rated player in the field, with a rating of 2470 and a world ranking of 19. She had qualified by winning the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss, but few had placed her among the leading contenders.
What followed was a tale of two halves for the Indian Grandmaster, who would go on to script history by winning the Candidates, becoming the first Indian to claim the women’s title, and earning the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the World Championship crown.
RELATED | Full list of FIDE Women’s Candidates winners
“Fantastic result. She pulled it off in the end, after a slightly bumpy ride in the final three rounds. But she showed the most stability, and Vaishali hung in there,” said five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on ChessBase India’s live stream.
She made a slow start, drawing her first four games before suffering her first defeat to Zhu Jiner. At that stage, both Divya and Vaishali were on two points and placed in the bottom half of the standings, while Anna Muzychuk and Zhu were setting the pace.
Vaishali gained momentum with a win over Tan Zhongyi in Round 7, a result that lifted her to second in the standings behind Muzychuk. But, the 24-year-old wasn’t entirely happy with the result.
“It was a horrible game. I don’t deserve this point at all. She just blundered towards the end. It was a bad game from the start, everything went wrong from the beginning,” said Vaishali after her win over Tan.
That game had seemed headed for a draw until Tan began advancing her pawns on the flank, leaving her king exposed. Vaishali capitalised, coordinating her rooks and king to force resignation.
It marked her second successive win, following a victory over Kateryna Lagno in Round 6. She then went on to beat compatriot Divya in Round 9, and Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 11, building steam towards the finish.
Zhu dealt her another defeat, in Round 12. But, a draw against Tan in the penultimate round set up a final-day decider.
The Indian Grandmaster, who had begun the tournament quietly, held her nerve in Round 14, defeating Kateryna Lagno to seal a memorable triumph.
“Good opening preparation caught Lagno off guard in Round 14. It was a great start and a strong fight, and eventually she got the job done. With all the final-day pressure, it would have been really hard, so it’s a big relief in the end,” Anand added.
Published on Apr 16, 2026
#Vaishali #overcomes #slow #start #win #Womens #Candidates #Viswanathan #Anand #hails #composure

The build-up to the women’s section of the FIDE Candidates 2026 was dominated by Koneru Humpy’s shock withdrawal a week before the tournament, citing personal safety concerns amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Attention then shifted to Divya Deshmukh. One of the youngest participants in the field, she had qualified by winning the Women’s World Cup 2025 and arrived as one of the favourites. Her recent form added to the expectations, having finished third at the Prague Chess Festival in March 2026 to break into the women’s top 10 for the first time in her career.

Much of the Indian focus revolved around these two Grandmasters. Yet, as the Candidates drew to a close, neither of them were in the scheme of things, with Divya falling out of title contention after a poor second half.

Away from the spotlight, R. Vaishali entered her second Candidates tournament as the lowest-rated player in the field, with a rating of 2470 and a world ranking of 19. She had qualified by winning the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss, but few had placed her among the leading contenders.

What followed was a tale of two halves for the Indian Grandmaster, who would go on to script history by winning the Candidates, becoming the first Indian to claim the women’s title, and earning the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the World Championship crown.

RELATED | Full list of FIDE Women’s Candidates winners

“Fantastic result. She pulled it off in the end, after a slightly bumpy ride in the final three rounds. But she showed the most stability, and Vaishali hung in there,” said five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on ChessBase India’s live stream.

She made a slow start, drawing her first four games before suffering her first defeat to Zhu Jiner. At that stage, both Divya and Vaishali were on two points and placed in the bottom half of the standings, while Anna Muzychuk and Zhu were setting the pace.

Vaishali gained momentum with a win over Tan Zhongyi in Round 7, a result that lifted her to second in the standings behind Muzychuk. But, the 24-year-old wasn’t entirely happy with the result.

“It was a horrible game. I don’t deserve this point at all. She just blundered towards the end. It was a bad game from the start, everything went wrong from the beginning,” said Vaishali after her win over Tan.

That game had seemed headed for a draw until Tan began advancing her pawns on the flank, leaving her king exposed. Vaishali capitalised, coordinating her rooks and king to force resignation.

It marked her second successive win, following a victory over Kateryna Lagno in Round 6. She then went on to beat compatriot Divya in Round 9, and Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 11, building steam towards the finish.

Zhu dealt her another defeat, in Round 12. But, a draw against Tan in the penultimate round set up a final-day decider.

The Indian Grandmaster, who had begun the tournament quietly, held her nerve in Round 14, defeating Kateryna Lagno to seal a memorable triumph.

“Good opening preparation caught Lagno off guard in Round 14. It was a great start and a strong fight, and eventually she got the job done. With all the final-day pressure, it would have been really hard, so it’s a big relief in the end,” Anand added.

Published on Apr 16, 2026

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#Vaishali #overcomes #slow #start #win #Womens #Candidates #Viswanathan #Anand #hails #composure

Tag anand vaisali fide womens candidates vaisali fide womens candidates 2026 vaisali fide womens candidates 2026 title vaisali fide womens candidates title win viswanathan anand viswanathan anand praises r vaishali viswanathan anand praises vaishali

Deadspin | Sal Stewart, Reds keep rolling against woeful Giants <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28736095.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28736095.jpg" alt="MLB: San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 15, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Players and coaches will wear No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day around the league. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images  </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Sal Stewart slugged a pair of three-run homers, Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz each hit solo shots, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the visiting San Francisco Giants 8-3 on Wednesday.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Stewart went deep for the second straight night and has seven homers to lead all rookies. Suarez went 3-for-4 and Spencer Steer had a pair of singles for Cincinnati, which has won three of its last four games.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Reds starter Rhett Lowder (2-1) allowed three runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts over a career-high 6 2/3 innings.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Daniel Susac doubled in two runs and had two hits for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Cincinnati claimed a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Tyler Mahle (0-3). With two on and one out, Stewart hit a three-run blast on a liner to right-center field. Suarez followed with his third homer, a 349-foot shot to right field.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>The Giants responded with two runs in the second inning. Matt Chapman singled with one out, Jung Hoo Lee walked, and both scored on Susac’s double to left field.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-7"> <p>Stewart struck again with a three-run homer in the bottom of the second following back-to-back walks to Matt McLain and De La Cruz.</p> </section> <section id="section-8"> <p>Cincinnati moved ahead 8-2 on De La Cruz’s one-out homer to center in the fourth. The 442-foot blast was his sixth homer of the season.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Mahle gave up eight runs and eight hits with five walks over four innings against his former team.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Left-hander Brock Burke replaced righty Lowder with two on and two outs in the seventh. Heliot Ramos greeted Burke with a pinch-hit single to score Rafael Devers from third.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Jerar Encarnacion followed with a pinch-hit single to load the bases before Burke struck out Willy Adames on three pitches.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>Adames went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts for San Francisco, which entered the game ranked last in the majors in runs (52), home runs (nine) and walks (34).</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>The Giants were out-hit 10-9 and fell to 1-11 this season when scoring three or fewer runs.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-14"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Sal #Stewart #Reds #rolling #woeful #Giants

Deadspin | Pirates combine for 3-hit shutout in win over Nationals <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28736336.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28736336.jpg" alt="MLB: Washington Nationals at Pittsburgh Pirates" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mason Montgomery (46) delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images  </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Carmen Mlodzinski pitched six shutout innings and led the host Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales each had RBI singles in the first inning to give Pittsburgh’s pitchers all the run support they would need. Mlodzinski (1-0) struck out five, walked two, and gave up only two hits during his outing, which lasted 81 pitches. He entered the game following a scoreless first inning by Mason Montgomery as the Pirates’ opener.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Montgomery, Mlodzinski, Gregory Soto, and Dennis Santana combined for a three-hit shutout. Santana hit CJ Abrams with a pitch with one out in the ninth. However, Nasim Nunez and Drew Millas each flew out, as Santana picked up his second save.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>The Pirates won for the 10th time in their past 14 games and recorded their second shutout of the season in a span of six days. Meanwhile, the Nationals picked up their second loss in three games and their first shutout loss this season.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Ozuna and Gonzales’s hits delivered the only runs allowed by Nationals starter Jake Irvin (1-2), who gave up four hits, walked three, and struck out five.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>Ozuna continued to show potential signs of breaking out of an early-season slump, as he recorded a hit in his third consecutive game. He has four hits in his past 12 at-bats, after going 2-for-39 over his first 10 games.</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>Pittsburgh’s first inning rally started with two outs after Bryan Reynolds drew the first of three walks, and Ryan O’Hearn singled for the first of his team-high three hits. Reynolds extended his on-base streak to 14 consecutive games.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>The Nationals left seven runners on base and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Curtis Mead had a one-out double in the first inning off Montgomery. Nevertheless, Daylen Lile grounded out, and Brady House struck out to end the frame.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>CJ Abrams continued his strong start to the season with a two-out double in the sixth. But Mlodzinski struck out Joey Wiemer to end the inning.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Pirates #combine #3hit #shutout #win #Nationals

Earlier this week, Argentina’s Lionel Messi added the new title of World Cup Goals King to his CV.

By the end of the tournament, it could be Kylian Mbappe holding that honor. Down the line, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior are young enough to get in the mix. And if everything goes right, the teenage Lamine Yamal has the time and talent to obliterate them all.

This is an amazing era for elite international goal-scorers. But maybe even more exciting, the convergence of those talents could be symbolic of a World Cup that is ushering in a new era of international competition, one that comes closer to the increasingly attack-oriented model that defines the modern club game.

Under the influence of rapidly improving data, modern soccer at the highest levels has become predicated on pressure and transition.

For sure, it’s not the aesthetic preference of every soccer critic.

Listen closely enough, and you’ll hear the cries of someone in Brazil whining that Carlo Ancelotti’s Selecao rejected the Jogo Bonito in favor of a modern devotion to backpressing that proved critical in their emphatic 3-0 win over Scotland on Wednesday night.

But for the average neutral, it’s hard to deny how much more compelling the club game has become as a result of data that shows the benefits of a higher octane approach.

You can see this in the UEFA Champions League, where goals per game have risen from 2.65 in 2015-16 to 3.45 in 2025-26.

Or you can see it in which teams are and aren’t succeeding at the international level.

Arguably, no side has fallen further than Italy, a nation whose footballing identity is most irrationally opposed to the ongoing tactical revolution.

Similarly, teams like Ecuador and Paraguay, who rode cynical tactics to success in South American qualifying, have so far been exposed by teams with more time to build attacking chemistry.

Yes, some teams have still succeeded out of a low block. But the Ghanas and Cape Verdes of the world have only done so when they could muster at least some threat of a vertical counterattack.

And now, with many of the same managers who orchestrated that rise in attacking play now coaching at this World Cup, goals are up here as well. If the rate of roughly 3.0 goals per game continues, it would be the highest scoring edition since 17-year-old Pele and Brazil dazzled their way to their first championship in Sweden in 1958.

The greatest attacking players are also staying great longer.

At 41, Ronaldo may come with baggage, but he’s still the best finisher on his Portugal team. At 32, Harry Kane’s career is only middle-aged when it would’ve been considered in its twilight era a generation ago.

And the engrossing all-time scoring chase is only possible because Messi is still playing at age 39, and arguably better at a World Cup than he ever has before.

There’s still a lot of time for this World Cup to go sideways. The knockout stages have a way of bringing out the worst conservative instincts in coaches. Oppressive summer weather could become more of a factor as June turns to July, and as more of the kickoffs fall before sunset to appease European TV audiences.

And there’s always the danger for off-the-field controversies to grow louder once the competitive field shrinks.

But on the evidence so far, this tournament has shown that the future of the game on the field is arguably the brightest it’s ever been. And whether it’s Messi or Mbappe who finishes on top of the all-time World Cup scoring chart this summer, you get the sense neither one will stay there for all that long.

#Lionel #Messi #Kylian #Mbappe #Headline #Era #World #Cup #Scoring #Deadspin.com">

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe Headline a New Era of World Cup Scoring | Deadspin.com Earlier this week, Argentina’s Lionel Messi added the new title of World Cup Goals King to his CV.By the end of the tournament, it could be Kylian Mbappe holding that honor. Down the line, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior are young enough to get in the mix. And if everything goes right, the teenage Lamine Yamal has the time and talent to obliterate them all.This is an amazing era for elite international goal-scorers. But maybe even more exciting, the convergence of those talents could be symbolic of a World Cup that is ushering in a new era of international competition, one that comes closer to the increasingly attack-oriented model that defines the modern club game.Under the influence of rapidly improving data, modern soccer at the highest levels has become predicated on pressure and transition.For sure, it’s not the aesthetic preference of every soccer critic.Listen closely enough, and you’ll hear the cries of someone in Brazil whining that Carlo Ancelotti’s Selecao rejected the Jogo Bonito in favor of a modern devotion to backpressing that proved critical in their emphatic 3-0 win over Scotland on Wednesday night.But for the average neutral, it’s hard to deny how much more compelling the club game has become as a result of data that shows the benefits of a higher octane approach.You can see this in the UEFA Champions League, where goals per game have risen from 2.65 in 2015-16 to 3.45 in 2025-26.Or you can see it in which teams are and aren’t succeeding at the international level.Arguably, no side has fallen further than Italy, a nation whose footballing identity is most irrationally opposed to the ongoing tactical revolution.Similarly, teams like Ecuador and Paraguay, who rode cynical tactics to success in South American qualifying, have so far been exposed by teams with more time to build attacking chemistry.Yes, some teams have still succeeded out of a low block. But the Ghanas and Cape Verdes of the world have only done so when they could muster at least some threat of a vertical counterattack.And now, with many of the same managers who orchestrated that rise in attacking play now coaching at this World Cup, goals are up here as well. If the rate of roughly 3.0 goals per game continues, it would be the highest scoring edition since 17-year-old Pele and Brazil dazzled their way to their first championship in Sweden in 1958.The greatest attacking players are also staying great longer.At 41, Ronaldo may come with baggage, but he’s still the best finisher on his Portugal team. At 32, Harry Kane’s career is only middle-aged when it would’ve been considered in its twilight era a generation ago.And the engrossing all-time scoring chase is only possible because Messi is still playing at age 39, and arguably better at a World Cup than he ever has before.There’s still a lot of time for this World Cup to go sideways. The knockout stages have a way of bringing out the worst conservative instincts in coaches. Oppressive summer weather could become more of a factor as June turns to July, and as more of the kickoffs fall before sunset to appease European TV audiences.And there’s always the danger for off-the-field controversies to grow louder once the competitive field shrinks.But on the evidence so far, this tournament has shown that the future of the game on the field is arguably the brightest it’s ever been. And whether it’s Messi or Mbappe who finishes on top of the all-time World Cup scoring chart this summer, you get the sense neither one will stay there for all that long. #Lionel #Messi #Kylian #Mbappe #Headline #Era #World #Cup #Scoring #Deadspin.com

mwasimuddin125 0

Earlier this week, Argentina’s Lionel Messi added the new title of World Cup Goals King to his CV.
By the end of the tournament, it could be Kylian Mbappe holding that honor. Down the line, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior are young enough to get in the mix. And if everything goes right, the teenage Lamine Yamal has the time and talent to obliterate them all.
This is an amazing era for elite international goal-scorers. But maybe even more exciting, the convergence of those talents could be symbolic of a World Cup that is ushering in a new era of international competition, one that comes closer to the increasingly attack-oriented model that defines the modern club game.
Under the influence of rapidly improving data, modern soccer at the highest levels has become predicated on pressure and transition.