#FIDEWomenCandidates – International Chess Federation

Vaishali Rameshbabu: “Chess makes me happy”

editor_d — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:07:45 +0000

After her triumph at the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus, Vaishali Rameshbabu shares her thoughts and feelings in an interview with Charlize van Zyl. She spoke about her games, her love and passion for chess, and her journey to victory. Below you can find both text and video versions of this interview.

CharIize van Zyl: I am joined today by Vaishali Rameshbabu, the winner of the FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026. Vaishali, you were quite speechless in the last press conference, with the feeling still being new. Now that it’s sunk in, tell me how you feel about this amazing victory.

Vaishali: It’s a dream-come-true moment for all of my family. It’s been a long journey to become World Champion and to be playing there, and I’m very happy that I won the Candidates. It was a very close event and quite an unpredictable one.

Charlize van Zyl: Indeed, very close and very unpredictable until the last moments of the final round. Let’s talk about that last round. It’s fourteenth round; mathematically six of the eight players still have a chance to win, and everything’s on the line. You’re playing against Lagno. Tell me, what went through your preparation going into that and your mind-set from the night before to the start of the game?

Vaishali: The one good thing is that we had the same round timing as any other round, unlike an early morning game or something else compared to other tournaments. I just kept to my routine and prepared as usual. The approach was simply to play the base game and accept whatever comes, because only my game is under my control. The Sicilian Dragon came as a huge surprise, but I had prepared it before the tournament, so that helped.

Charlize van Zyl: So, knowing you had to win and knowing that Lagno also knew you had to win, there was no special preparation even outside of the board?

Vaishali: Not really. Again, if she beats me, then she also had some chances, and the tournament would have been wide open. That’s why she played for more and chose the Dragon because, otherwise, she could have chosen some other solid option. Of course, that also helped me because I was happy to face the Sicilian given the situation.

Charlize van Zyl: In the final round, did you find yourself looking over at Bibisara – Divya at all or did you stay focused on what was going on in your own game?

Vaishali: Of course, I checked briefly here and there, but I tried my maximum to focus on my game, because that’s what matters in the end.

Charlize van Zyl: Let’s talk a bit about your escape-artist phase in the first half of the event. With Divya and Goryachkina, there were a few slippery moments, but you handled them so well. This is a very good trait that you have. Do you think it is luck, or is this a skill of yours that you don’t give up, you keep going?

Vaishali: A bit of both. Even when you’re very resourceful, it doesn’t work all the time, so I had some luck there for sure. I also feel that I was very resourceful and I didn’t give up: I kept putting small pressure, because everyone here is so strong and it’s not easy to fight back from a worse position against them. Even starting from the first game in which I found this a4, Nc4 idea and she had to find this Qf8 idea, which was the only way to keep the advantage. That wasn’t easy at all. Then in the second game against Divya there was this one slip where she found Qg4, and my position became lost, but with less time it wasn’t easy. So, summing up, resourcefulness and a bit of luck.

Charlize van Zyl: So you had this resourcefulness in the first half while in the second half you showed a lot of technique and played some incredibly good games. Did you change anything between the first and the second half of the event; preparation or anything outside the chess?

Vaishali: My first win came against Lagno: I played a very good game, but towards the end I missed some chances and over a couple of moves I was lost, and by the time we reached the time control, she blundered and I was winning again. Overall I was outplaying her but during two or three moves, things bent up. I felt that I should not have missed that chance but that is was OK.

Then let’s not forget my game against Tan Zhongyi in the first half, because it changed things totally. I played very badly right from the opening and I was very lucky to score a win from this position. Initially, I felt very bad because I shouldn’t be playing like this and taking points, so therefore I started to focus on my game quality: I just wanted to play some good games. I think in the second half, my play drastically improved and I, indeed, played some good games.

Charlize van Zyl: You told us in the press conference that you felt bad, but do you have that feeling during the game itself, or do you try to mute it?

Vaishali: There are games where I’m worse and I keep defending and save the game, but in this one it didn’t feel like I was defending. It’s just a moment of lapse that could happen to anybody. I’ve had many painful losses like this, and it’s just tough: I have also been there, and it will just feel miserable, what to do? The moment she played Ra1, she obviously understood, but it was too late. It’s very tough, but it goes on.

Charlize van Zyl: Another tough game was against Zhu Jiner in the second half. It was such a critical one, where she caught up to you, but you kept fighting back afterwards. You told us in the press conference that you’re able to fight back because of the people around you. Can you expand on that a little bit more?

Vaishali: My game with Black against Goryachkina was a very nice game. I don’t usually win games like this: it felt a bit different from how I usually win, especially against Goryachkina, who is very strong and doesn’t lose many games with White. After this win, I had a one-point lead with three rounds to go, which I didn’t imagine at all. It just added some more pressure within me, and I couldn’t sleep that night. Against Zhu Jiner it was an interesting opening: things could have been a lot different, but I felt like I was not at my best. Also, she played really good moves, such as the critical Rb5, then h5, Rg4 and h4-h3 came so fast that I didn’t see this option at all. I was very upset, but then I felt that things were back to normal, so I could focus on the last two games. Having this one-point lead added to the pressure, but now the tournament was wide open again. I have a great support system: my team helped me so much, and also my mother and Pragg helped me cope with it.

Charlize van Zyl: So, losing this game alleviated the pressure of being the front runner? That’s interesting because when we spoke about Toronto – your incredible five-game victories in a row towards the end after a bad start – you told me that it was because of the pressure of the tournament that you didn’t do so well. Have you noticed this as perhaps a point to kind of work on in terms of dealing with the pressure? Because you’ve got the play, but this seems to be something in your way.

Vaishali: Yes, it seems like a pattern. It was definitely recognized even before the tournament. One of the main focuses here was that I was to just enjoy the tournament and not think about results, but it’s not always possible to get. It’s something I really worked on, because I also feel that’s when my best play actually comes out. I think it’s something I will try to rework on it and try to master it.

Charlize van Zyl: Let’s talk about your team: you’ve mentioned your mom and Pragg are here, but tell me about the functioning of your team, especially for a tournament like this and also those who don’t travel with you. How does it work behind the scenes?

Vaishali: Both of my trainers, Ramesh and Aarthie Ramaswamy, have been a huge pillar of strength, for Pragg’s and my own careers. We both started working with Ramesh when I was 13 years old and Pragg was nine years old, so it’s been more than 12 years – a long journey. They both have been a huge help for us: planning every little thing, scheduling camps, etc… We have learned a lot from both of them and we are very grateful to both. Of course, I had a team helping me with my preparation, but for now I’ll keep it secret. I also had GM Pranesh here. He’s someone I have known for many years and he’s also a student of Ramesh and we used to have a lot of training camps together. We have worked a lot together and it was Ramesh’s idea to have in during the Candidates, because with Pragg we have worked a lot together over the years. He’s also very nice and very fun to be around, a good friend. His support was crucial during the tournament: I can get tense quite fast and there were a lot of high pressure moments during the tournament. He kept me cool when there were several movements in the preparation and I didn’t know what to do. He was always chilled out and said, “Okay, you can manage, it’s okay, it’s fine”. A very positive attitude and I’m very happy that he was here and he helped me in every way possible. Especially with me, both Ramesh and Aarthie can keep me calm and that’s more important for me than having a strong second for me. It worked out perfectly!

Charlize van Zyl: Are you going to expand this team at all working towards the World Championship? You know you’ve got a recipe that works, and you can stick to it. What were you going to do?

Vaishali: A lot of things have been running through my mind since last night. I’ve not yet planned or confirmed anything. I think I will take a good rest and then plan forward.

Charlize van Zyl: Let’s speak a bit about this match. You’ve probably given it some thought, although maybe not too much yet. You told me in our previous interview that you could be the next World Champion because of your decisive game – you will do really well in the match because you’re able to come back. How do you see your chances against Ju Wenjun?

Vaishali: I’ve not played that many classical games against her. I got the chance to play in Norway in 2024 and 2025: there was a double round-robin, and we played four games, and then we had some Armageddon games. Three of the classical games ended in a draw, and I lost one. All those games were very interesting, and we also had some crazy Armageddon games. So yeah, some interesting games. Definitely, she’s one of the strongest women players, a five-time World Champion with a lot of experience. It’s going to be tough, but I think I have some time to improve. I’ll give my best to the work, and I’m looking forward to the match; I’m very excited!

Charlize van Zyl: What do you consider something that you would want to work on before that match?

Vaishali: I have to find a balance with my consistency, as my games can fluctuate a lot.

Charlize van Zyl: Have you considered a mental coach to deal with the pressure? It’s quite big in sports these days?

Vaishali: Yes, I’ve been working with a psychologist the past eight or nine months. She has helped me a lot and supported me.

Charlize van Zyl: Tell me about your relationship with chess. It’s your profession, you are playing all the time and I can see how passionate you are after wins and losses. Do you love the game outside of the professional side of it?

Vaishali: I love to work on chess more than anything, it makes me very happy. I think it’s when like I’m very happy working on chess. I can work for hours solving studies and solving positions. If I find an interesting idea, it that makes my day. Sometimes I want to share those ideas with people around me.

Charlize van Zyl: So working on chess you never find it boring or tedious?

Vaishali: Sometimes it’s quite exhausting because I don’t know when to stop and there are days when I go crazy but it also makes me very happy. I think that recently I have found the balance: to take a break and then get back the hunger for the game.

Charlize van Zyl: That sounds very healthy! So, right now you are the next challenger to play the world Championship match. There are so many young girls looking up at you, especially in India. What message would you send to them after this victory?

Vaishali: Just enjoy the game: there is more to it than the game itself. Play a lot of tournaments and enjoy the process.

Charlize van Zyl: Thank you very much for joining us. I can imagine you are going to have an amazing reception when you get back home: good luck with that! We shall see you at the match!

Vaishali: Thank you so much.

Photos: Michal Walusza, Yoav Nis and Niki Riga

An emotional farewell to a historic 2026 Candidates

editor_d — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:01:17 +0000

The closing ceremony of the 2026 FIDE Candidates and Women’s Candidates was a vibrant and memorable finale, an evening filled with emotion, celebration, and a distinctly Cypriot charm.

Set against the stunning beachfront of the St. George’s Hotel & Resort, the one-and-a-half-hour show blended traditional dance, live music, bursts of fireworks, and moments of light-hearted humour.

Hosts Maurice Ashley and Charlize Van Zyl opened the evening promptly at 8 p.m., welcoming an audience of more than 100 players, coaches, family members, friends, sponsors, and organizers. There was a palpable sense of pride and relief in the air after three intense weeks of competition, with smiles and laughter shared among the guests.

Following the national anthem of Cyprus and the FIDE anthem, the audience was treated to a moving video recap of the tournament’s most memorable moments. The film drew warm applause and, maybe for some, a touch of nostalgia.

The ceremony continued with a pre-recorded message from the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, who praised the players’ dedication and highlighted the importance of hosting such a prestigious global event on the island.

Viswanathan Anand, five-time World Champion and Deputy President of FIDE, then took the stage to warm applause. In a thoughtful and reflective speech, he spoke about the unmistakable generational shift taking place in the chess world: how a fearless new wave of players is rising, challenging, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the game’s long-established titans.

The mood then shifted to celebration, as traditional Cypriot music and dance performed by a local troupe brought colour, rhythm, and energy to the evening.

This lively interlude set the stage for a series of speeches from key figures, including Criton Tornaritis, President of the Cyprus Chess Federation; Valeriia Avksenteva, Deputy Executive Director of Freedom24; Marinos Lamprou, Mayor of Akamas, and Panayiotis Markou, Director of Sales and Marketing at the St. George’s Hotel & Resort.

It was Markou’s speech, however, that sparked the most emotional response of the evening. As he announced that each room the players had stayed in would be named after them, the audience erupted into a warm and sustained applause.
The ceremony continued with the introduction of the sixteen contenders of the 2026 FIDE Candidates and Women’s Candidates Tournaments, presented by Angelika Valkova. With charm and wit, she engaged some of the players in light-hearted questions, drawing genuine laughter and relaxed, candid responses.

Finally, the prize-giving, the emotional climax of the evening, brought the ceremony to its most meaningful and memorable moment. In the FIDE Women’s Candidates, Zhu Jiner claimed the bronze medal, while Bibisara Assaubayeva took silver. They were joined on the top step of the podium by the winner, Vaishali Rameshbabu.

As the three stood together, the audience rose in a heartfelt standing ovation, acknowledging not just their results but the intensity and brilliance of their performances, with the national anthem of India adding a powerful note to the celebration.

The awards were presented by Valeriia Avksenteva, Deputy Executive Director of Freedom24, and Isai Scheinberg, a long-standing supporter of chess and the first recipient of the FIDE Medal of Merit in the 21st century.

Attention then turned to the Open Candidates. Fabiano Caruana received the bronze medal, while Anish Giri secured silver. They were joined by the tournament’s winner, Javokhir Sindarov, whose achievement was met with enthusiastic applause, while listening to the anthem of Uzbekistan. Sindarov, visibly moved, delivered a short and sincere speech, expressing gratitude and reflecting on his journey.

The awards were presented by Viswanathan Anand, Deputy President of FIDE, and Marina Stylianides, Director of Cap St. Georges and Korantina Homes. The evening concluded on a unique and touching note with a pre-recorded telephone conversation between the President of Uzbekistan and Sindarov.

The full broadcast of the closing ceremony can be watched on the FIDE YouTube channel:

Written by IM Michael Rahal, FIDE press Officer

Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga

Vaishali conquers Women’s Candidates to set up world title showdown against Ju Wenjun

editor_d — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:01:14 +0000

Vaishali Rameshbabu will challenge Ju Wenjun for the Women’s World Championship after winning the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates outright with a score of 8.5/14. In an exciting final round, Vaishali defeated Kateryna Lagno in a magnificent display of technique, while Bibisara Assaubayeva could only manage a draw in her game against Divya Deshmukh.

Javokhir Sindarov, already crowned winner of the FIDE Candidates before the final round, made a quick draw with Wei Yi, allowing both Anish Giri and Fabiano Caruana to move up in the standings with two fantastic final-round victories over Matthias Bluebaum and Andrey Esipenko, respectively.

Let’s take a closer look at the action that unfolded in this exciting afternoon of chess.

The ceremonial opener was performed by Marina Stylianides, Director of Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort by Korantina Homes. She played 1.e4 in the game between Vaishali and Lagno, which would ultimately decide the winner of the FIDE Women’s Candidates.

Before the final round began, there were essentially two clear favourites to win the event, with four others still holding outside chances. Bibisara Assaubayeva needed a must-win game with the Black pieces against Divya Deshmukh.

In reality, she never came close to achieving that goal; in fact, had Divya managed her time better, she might even have found a winning continuation just before the time control. The eventual draw left the door wide open for R. Vaishali: a victory against Kateryna Lagno would secure her the title.

Vaishali rose to the occasion, delivering one of her best games of the tournament. Thanks to excellent home preparation, she won a pawn early in the opening and steadily converted that advantage. Her accuracy was remarkable, especially in the sharp and complex Sicilian Defence Dragon Variation, scoring an impressive 96% with only a single minor inaccuracy.

Speaking at the postgame press conference, Vaishali expressed her delight: “It’s amazing, a dream come true for me. When I lost to Zhu Jiner, everything suddenly opened up, and I’m happy I was able to stay focused in the last two rounds and give my best.”

Vaishali was deeply appreciative of the support she had received throughout her journey: “I would like to thank my parents and family; without them, I wouldn’t be here. Also, my amazing team, who have helped me every day, and all of my sponsors who have supported me for many years. Last year, I lost a lot of rating; apart from the Grand Swiss, my results were poor. So, I really have to thank my team for making this possible.”

She also spoke about the sacrifices her family made over the years for both her and her younger brother, R. Praggnanandhaa: “For a family, it’s a long journey to have two professionals at home. My family had to make many sacrifices in the beginning, but for about 10 years now we’ve had support from sponsors. It’s been a collective family effort over many years, and each of us plays a part.”

In the remaining games, Anna Muzychuk and Zhu Jiner pushed hard for their slim chances of reaching a tiebreak, but ultimately fell short. Both players delivered near-flawless performances, and a draw was agreed on move 56.

In the last game of the afternoon, Aleksandra Goryachkina secured her second consecutive victory, defeating Tan Zhongyi and finishing tied for third place in the final standings.

In the FIDE Candidates Tournament, the tension eased somewhat after Javokhir Sindarov secured overall victory the previous day. Even so, three of the four games were still fiercely contested. Sindarov himself made a very quick draw against Wei Yi, trading off all the pieces and leaving the playing hall in under ten minutes.

Meanwhile, the other games unfolded at a much sharper pace. Praggnanandhaa R and Hikaru Nakamura also finished quickly, blitzing out 33 moves of home preparation before agreeing to a draw. Nakamura later mentioned that he had analyzed the lineup to move 26 earlier that morning.

The remaining two games provided the real excitement. Anish Giri delivered a magnificent victory over Matthias Bluebaum, finishing the tournament with an impressive 8.5/14 – a score that, under different circumstances, might well have been enough to win the event.

At the press conference, Anish Giri expressed great satisfaction with his performance: “I have played a lot of great games here, and I’m very happy with many of my wins, especially against Fabiano Caruana. Today was also a really good game against Matthias Bluebaum.”

He also shed light on his preparation: “I had analysed the position, but I didn’t expect it to appear today. It’s a very bold and risky line, so I was impressed to see Matthias go for it and play in such an attacking style.”

In the final game of the FIDE Candidates Tournament, Fabiano Caruana produced a brilliant victory against Andrey Esipenko, quite possibly one of the finest games of his career.

In a Dragon-style Sicilian Defence, Caruana unleashed a powerful positional exchange sacrifice, instantly recognized by top engines as the best move.

With the stunning 13…Rxc3!, Fabiano gave up the rook to shatter White’s queenside structure. After 14.bxc3, he methodically increased the pressure against his opponent’s weakened, queenside-castled king. If instead 14.Qxe3, then 14…Nxe4 would have given Black strong compensation for the exchange.

The final position, where Esipenko resigned, perfectly illustrates the difficulty of defending such positions.

White’s queen is under attack, while the looming 41…Nc4 checkmate leaves no viable defense.

Final standings

The fan zone was packed to capacity this afternoon, highlighted by a lively Q&A session with tournament winner Javokhir Sindarov. Former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk also delighted spectators by providing live commentary during the round.

Several players took time to interact with fans as well, posing for photos and signing autographs, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the event.

Official website: https://candidates2026.fide.com/

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

Written by IM Michael A. Rahal (Cyprus)

Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga

Sindarov storms to Candidates victory

editor_d — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:27:34 +0000

Javokhir Sindarov has won the FIDE Candidates Tournament this afternoon with a round to spare and will challenge Gukesh D for the World Championship at the end of the year. His game against Anish Giri ended in a draw, and with one round remaining, Sindarov holds a commanding two-point lead over the rest of the field.

In the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, Bibisara Assaubayeva defeated Anna Muzychuk to move into a tie for first place with R Vaishali. Tomorrow’s final round will determine whether there will be an outright winner or a tiebreak will be required. Up to six of the eight players still have a theoretical chance to win the event.

Let’s take a closer look at the action.

The ceremonial first move was performed by Isai Scheinberg, a long-standing supporter of chess and the first awardee of the FIDE Medal of Merit in the 21st century.

In the key game of the round, Javokhir Sindarov held Anish Giri to a draw, securing first place and claiming victory in the FIDE Candidates Tournament.

Both players blitzed out the first fourteen moves. Sindarov accepted an isolated d-pawn in the Queen’s Gambit Declined, while Giri was content with a slight edge, enjoying a dynamic position without any real risk. However, Sindarov made excellent use of the rest day and came into the game extremely well prepared.

“We checked and prepared against Anish. At some point, it became boring because I reviewed this line ten times, as he had already played it against Andrey Esipenko. We had a good fight, but after we exchanged queens, I felt I wouldn’t have any problems holding the draw. That proved true: I played quickly, and it was an easy draw,” Sindarov explained in the postgame press conference.

He also added with a touch of humour: “I had zero problems in the rook ending and saw the final line very quickly. I knew I wouldn’t lose that position with one hour and thirty minutes left on the clock – I was just chilling.”

Sindarov expressed deep gratitude to those who supported him throughout the tournament: “A big thank you to everyone who supported me during this long event. Every round was very tough, and the last week was the hardest of my life. I even slept very badly in the final days. I’m very happy it’s over. Many thanks to my family, my coach, my seconds, and everyone who supports me.”

He also praised his coach, Roman Vidonyak: “He analyses all the information from the tournament and points out what I’m doing wrong in certain positions. He gives me advice. I’ve been working with him for more than a year. He has also worked with Nodirbek Yakubboev, and you can see the results of our work. He’s a great person: we play board games together, he’s funny, very supportive, and a hard worker. With him, I’ve improved my chess a lot.”

In the other three games of the round, Wei Yi defeated Andrey Esipenko in a highly complex attacking line of the Petrov Defence. Interestingly, Wei Yi had already employed this line back in 2017 against Yu Yangyi at the Hainan Danzhou GM Tournament, where he also scored a brilliant victory.

At a critical moment, Esipenko sacrificed a piece for a couple of pawns and an attacking initiative. In different circumstances, the gamble might have paid off, but Wei Yi’s defensive precision proved impeccable on this occasion. Both players joined Zachary Saine in the media centre for a joint press conference in which they went over the game.

Despite his young age, Praggnanandhaa R already has extensive experience against Fabiano Caruana, with their head-to-head record standing at 13 games: two wins each and nine draws. The Nimzo-Indian Variation they chose dates back to the 1970s and is known for its deep strategic complexity.

By around move twelve, Praggnanandhaa had already spent over half an hour in a position with more than 300 recorded master games, an unusual situation indeed. This left Caruana with an intriguing choice: follow the main theoretical path or deviate.

He opted for a secondary line and soon generated a powerful attack, ultimately forcing his opponent to sacrifice his queen to avoid immediate checkmate. Caruana appeared to be on the verge of victory, but Praggnanandhaa demonstrated remarkable resilience, finding a defensive resource based on a fortress setup that allowed him to secure a draw.

In the final game of the round, Hikaru Nakamura and Matthias Bluebaum produced an exceptionally accurate encounter, both achieving a near-perfect 99% accuracy score in a solid draw. Facing a classical Queen’s Gambit Declined setup, Nakamura quickly relinquished the bishop pair to reach a standard Carlsbad structure and prepare a minority attack.

Unfazed, Bluebaum responded confidently, simplifying the position and equalizing with ease. By move twenty-five, the game was completely balanced. Although play continued until move forty-one, the evaluation remained unchanged throughout, further reinforcing Bluebaum’s reputation as one of the most solid players on the circuit.

The results of the penultimate round in the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament have left the competition wide open. Six players still have a theoretical chance of winning the event, although only five can qualify for a playoff at the same time.

The leading contenders are Vaishali Rameshbabu, who held Tan Zhongyi to a draw, and Bibisara Assaubayeva, who defeated Anna Muzychuk with an impressive display of home preparation. Both now stand on 7.5 points.

In the final round, Vaishali will have the white pieces against Kateryna Lagno, while Assaubayeva will play Black against Divya Deshmukh. If one of them wins and the other does not, the victor will be crowned champion outright.

However, the situation remains tense. If both leaders draw, Zhu Jiner – currently on 7 points – could still tie them, as she faces Anna Muzychuk in the final round. Moreover, should both leaders lose, players on 6.5 points still retain outside chances.

Among them, Kateryna Lagno, fresh off a victory over Divya Deshmukh, and Aleksandra Goryachkina, who prevailed over Zhu Jiner in a fiercely contested seesaw battle, will be pushing hard to keep their title hopes alive in the final round.

Kateryna Lagno’s technique this afternoon was especially impressive.

Material is equal, but Lagno holds a clear positional advantage thanks to the bishop pair and the potential of a passed d-pawn. What followed was a beautiful and highly instructive manoeuvre:

26.Bf1! – hitting the black queen, 26…Qb7 27.Bb5! attacking the rook. 27…Re7 28. Bc6! Qb8 29. Bf4! Nd6 and finally 30.Qg3!

At this point, Black is completely tied up along both diagonals. Divya Deshmukh found herself in a virtually hopeless position and was forced to resign shortly thereafter, effectively trapped in a middlegame zugzwang.

Standings after Round 13

The Fan-Zone, hosted by FIDE presenter Angelika Valkova, showcased a Masterclass by GM Maurice Ashley, a Meet & Greet with Amruta Makal from Chessbase India and Case Studies from Tournaments by Dr Yevgeny Levanzov.

The final round will be played on April 15 at 3:30 pm. If tiebreaks are needed, they will be disputed on April 16, at 3:00 pm.

Official website: https://candidates2026.fide.com/

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

Live daily broadcast with GM commentary: https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Written by IM Michael A. Rahal (Cyprus)

Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga

Rising stars and Grandmasters meet at Pafos International Chess Open

editor_d — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:24:41 +0000

The 4th Pafos International Open Chess Tournament was officially opened this afternoon at the Attikon & Palia Ilektriki Multiculture Spaces in Pafos, Cyprus, by the mayor of the city, Angelos Onisiforou (pictured below).

Directed by Arkadios Koulaxidis, President of the Pafos Chess Club, and held under the supervision of International Arbiter Tania Karali, the event has attracted 185 players. Participants are divided into three groups and include six Grandmasters, one Women’s Grandmaster, and 20 other titled players representing 29 different countries.

The tournament runs from April 13 to April 19 and offers participants the possibility of taking byes in order to attend the final rounds of the FIDE Candidates Tournament, held just half an hour away. In fact, many participants arrived a few days early and have already taken the opportunity to meet their favourite elite players at the Cap St. Georges Hotel & Resort.

Top seeds in the A-group include 2500+ rated Grandmasters Evgeny Postny (Israel; pictured below) and A. Ra Harikrishnan (India).

The field also features several prominent competitors, including China’s International Master Lu Miaoyi, currently ranked as the world’s No. 3 junior girl. Lu is the reigning Chinese Women’s National Champion and the fourth-youngest girl in chess history to achieve the International Master title. In an interview with FIDE presenter Charlize Van Zyl, she confirmed that she has been closely following the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament and is supporting Zhu Jiner.

One of the youngest participants in the main event is Woman Candidate Master Aida Paunescu, the Women’s Cyprus National Champion, who has already represented her country at the Chess Olympiad Budapest 2024 and is set to do so again in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, this September.

Organised by the Pafos Municipality and the Pafos Chess Club, under the supervision of the Cyprus Chess Federation, the tournament offers a total prize fund exceeding €5,000. The event is also an official side event of the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 and the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026.

Pairings and results (chess-results)

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

Written by IM Michael A. Rahal (Cyprus)

Photos: Niki Riga

FIDE Candidates: Sindarov inches closer as all games are drawn; Zhu Jiner joins Vaishali in the lead

editor_d — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:17:25 +0000

Javokhir Sindarov chose a cautious approach, drawing his game against Hikaru Nakamura this afternoon. With two rounds remaining, he moves one step closer to winning the Candidates and earning the right to challenge Gukesh for the title. The rest of the games also ended in draws, although Anish Giri came very close to defeating Wei Yi.

In the women’s section, Zhu Jiner made a strong statement by winning over Vaishali with the black pieces in an impressive game, moving into a tie for the lead. Bibisara Assaubayeva also secured a victory over Kateryna Lagno, narrowing the gap, while Anna Muzychuk missed a major opportunity against Aleksandra Goryachkina. With just two rounds to go, the tournament remains wide open.

Let’s take a closer look at the action.

The ceremonial first move was performed by Mr. Manish, High commissioner of India, who opened the game for Vaishali.

Before the round began, all eyes were on the pairing between Javokhir Sindarov, leading the tournament with a two-point advantage, and Hikaru Nakamura. Would Sindarov push for a win?

“Every draw gets him miles nearer to the end goal,” noted commentator Peter Svidler during the live broadcast. The eight-time national champion, drawing on his vast elite experience, correctly anticipated that a cautious approach would prevail.

After trading all the pieces and signing the scoresheets, while the rest of the field were still deep in their openings, Sindarov and Nakamura headed to the media centre to explain their swift and strategically sound draw.

Sindarov was explicit about his strategy: “Yesterday’s game was very important, and today I needed a quick draw to rest and prepare well for tomorrow’s game against Anish Giri during the rest day. I was aiming for forcing draw lines; a fast draw is ideal for my situation. In fact, if I had the chance, I would have offered a draw immediately, but we have to play 40 moves.”

Nakamura also adopted a pragmatic stance: “If the scores were closer, I would have gone for a King’s Indian Defence, but I didn’t see any reason to take risks. I’ve stabilized my performance, but it hasn’t been my best tournament and, realistically, I was never going to win it. I’m just looking forward to the end.”

Still, Sindarov had a contingency plan: “If Hikaru had played something unusual, I was well prepared and ready to fight. But before the game, my coach advised me not to go for a long battle if he stuck to his usual lines. Against Anish, though, I’m ready for a long fight if he wants to push for a win: we’ll see.”

The remaining three games also ended in draws, underlining the remarkably high level of play among all the contenders.

In their encounter, Andrey Esipenko and Praggnanandhaa R entered a sharp and dynamic opening that both players had deeply analysed in their home preparation. Unsurprisingly, the game was handled with near-perfect precision and ultimately steered to a draw, with accuracy levels approaching 99%.

Matthias Bluebaum, meanwhile, stuck to his preferred Carlsbad structure in his game against Fabiano Caruana, introducing a subtle twist with 6.Qc2. As commentator Jan Gustafsson described it, it was “a cunning little waiting move.” The game was another model of precision, reaching an accuracy of 97–98%, with virtually no mistakes from either side.

However, Anish Giri missed a significant opportunity to close the gap with Javokhir Sindarov in his game against Wei Yi. Wei Yi remained faithful to his Candidates preparation with the 2.Nc3 and 3.Bc4 setup, but on this occasion, he was outprepared.

Giri seized the initiative early, winning a pawn and transitioning into a favorable middlegame featuring a strong knight against a weak bishop, yet ultimately was unable to convert the advantage into a full point.

The key moment of the game arose on move 32. With nearly 20 minutes remaining to make eight moves, Anish Giri spent 15 minutes searching for a winning continuation.

The position is extremely tricky. Although Giri has extra material, his king is exposed and White’s passed c-pawn carries significant counterplay. The winning move was, perhaps unsurprisingly, 32…Qe3!. A queen exchange would have effectively decided the game in Black’s favour.

If 33.Qd5+ followed, then 33…Kh8! and after 34.Bg7+ Kxg7 35.Qxg5+ Kf7 36.Qf5+ Ke7 37.Qxh7+ Kd6 38.Qd7+ Kc5!, Black escapes the checks with a decisive advantage.

Instead, Giri chose a different continuation, namely 32…Qc5? which failed to 33.c7! Although Anish retained some chances later in the game, he was ultimately unable to convert. His final opportunity will come in the next round, where he faces a must-win situation with the white pieces against tournament leader Javokhir Sindarov.

With three decisive outcomes and just one draw, the round in the FIDE Women’s Candidates proved even more exciting.

Zhu Jiner scored an impressive victory with the black pieces against Vaishali Rameshbabu in a rich and complex game, joining the tournament lead with only two rounds remaining. Both players joined Zach for the press conference after the game.

Meanwhile, Bibisara Assaubayeva also scored a crucial win over Kateryna Lagno, moving to within half a point of the leaders.

Assaubayeva opted for a fashionable line in the Greco Gambit – generally considered equal for Black – but one she had analyzed deeply in preparation. The game quickly turned highly tactical, and at one stage it seemed as though Lagno might come out on top. However, the momentum eventually shifted, and the full point went to the Kazakh grandmaster.

In her press conference, Assaubayeva expressed both relief and gratitude, particularly for her mother’s support: “I am happy that I won today. It’s my first win against Lagno in classical chess, although it wasn’t my best game. It was a difficult position to play because there were many weaknesses, and it wasn’t easy to understand what to do. I missed some tactics, but I had time to think and found some practical ideas to keep fighting. At some point it was at least a draw, and then I found a way to win.”

Anna Muzychuk missed a golden opportunity to join Vaishali Rameshbabu and Zhu Jiner in the lead. She played an excellent game against Aleksandra Goryachkina, an opponent she knows well, but with time running low, things went wrong at the critical moment.

The resulting endgame was highly instructive. As a general rule, when the king is close to the pawns, the side with the rook should be winning, but converting such positions is far from simple.

The correct plan began with 65.Kg4!. After 65…Kh2 (65…h3 fails to 66.Ra2+), the only winning move, difficult to find under time pressure, was 66.Rh5!. Following 66…g2 67.Rxh4+ Kg1 68.Kg3 Kf1, White continues with 69.Rf4+! Kg1 70.Rf5! (not 70.Rf2? Kh1!, which leads to stalemate). Then 71.Rh5+ Kg1 72.Rh2 wins the pawn and, ultimately, the game. A beautiful but highly nontrivial sequence.

Instead, Anna played 65.Ra2+? but after 65…Kh3! 66.Ra3 Kh2 Aleksandra escaped with a draw.

Finally, Divya Deshmukh introduced a novelty with 7.c4 in the Konstantinopolsky Variation of the King’s Knight Opening against Tan Zhongyi. According to Peter Svidler, this setup is gaining popularity despite bending classical opening principles, in this case, conceding control of the d4 square.

Divya held the initiative for much of the game, but Tan defended resourcefully and eventually turned the tables in the endgame. In a model example of same-colored bishops combined with weak-square play, the former Women’s World Champion demonstrated excellent technique to capitalize and secure her first win of the tournament.

Standings after Round 12

The Fan-Zone featured a trivia quiz with IM Sagar Shah, joined by GM Emil Sutovsky, followed by some live-commentary of the round with GM Jan Smeets, second of Anish Giri in Cyprus. Both events were hosted by FIDE presenter Angelika Valkova.

Tomorrow is the final free day. Round thirteen will be played on April 14, at 3:30 pm (Cyprus).

Official website: https://candidates2026.fide.com/

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

Live daily broadcast with GM commentary: https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Written by IM Michael A. Rahal (Cyprus)

Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga

FIDE Candidates: Sindarov preserves lead as Vaishali takes command

editor_d — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 18:43:50 +0000

Javokhir Sindarov continues to dominate the FIDE Candidates after Round 11, where all games ended in draws. With only three rounds remaining, he still holds a two-point lead. If Sindarov maintains stability, he’s in an excellent position to win the tournament and secure a shot at the world title.

In the women’s section, Vaishali R scored a crucial win with the black pieces over Aleksandra Goryachkina, moving a full point ahead of the field and taking clear control heading into the final rounds.

Let’s take a closer look at this afternoon’s eleventh round action in the playing venue at the Cap St. Georges Hotel & Resort, here in Cyprus.

Of course, the key game of the afternoon was the encounter between Fabiano Caruana and Javokhir Sindarov. Caruana essayed a relatively new idea – 11.Be3 in the mainstream Catalan Opening – a move that has already been played a couple of times by Nihal Sarin.

“I didn’t really prepare for the last two games; I just played something safe. But then I got a bit of pressure and some serious winning chances at one point,” Caruana explained after the game. The idea involves a pawn sacrifice in exchange for long-term compensation. “We know that Caruana’s preparation runs deep!” exclaimed commentator Jan Gustafsson during the live broadcast.

Co-commentator Peter Svidler offered a different perspective: “It’s not played with the intention of proving an advantage, but rather to reach a strange new position that the opponent may not yet have seen.”

Sindarov, however, defended excellently, returning the pawn at the precise moment and securing an important draw for his tournament chances. “I tried to make an impact in the tournament, but he defended very well,” Caruana concluded.

The other three games also ended in draws, although there were missed opportunities along the way. The game between Hikaru Nakamura and Wei Yi was a solid encounter, with both players blitzing out the classical mainline of the Catalan Opening.

Sensing that his opponent was deeply prepared, Nakamura opted to force a threefold repetition at an early stage, though not before spending nearly forty minutes weighing his options. In his post-game interview, Nakamura explained his decision-making process and also shared some thoughts on his upcoming clash with the tournament leader.

In an attempt to catch the leader, Anish Giri tried to improve on a previous game by Andrey Esipenko earlier in the tournament, opting for 11.Qa4 instead of 11.Rc1. Esipenko had already equalized comfortably in that earlier encounter, and interestingly, the same move had also appeared in game fourteen of the Fischer–Spassky World Championship match.

However, trying to outplay Esipenko in an isolated pawn–minor piece endgame is a notoriously difficult task. His defensive technique was once again impeccable, and Giri was unable to generate any real winning chances. A draw was agreed on move 43, a result that can be considered a model example of defensive play in this type of structure.

The player who will likely regret the afternoon most is no doubt R Praggnanandhaa, who reached a winning position against Matthias Bluebaum but ultimately failed to convert.

Praggnanandhaa had already missed a strong continuation a few moves earlier, but with only five minutes left for six moves, the critical moment arose.

He played 34.Qf3, activating his queen with threats against f7. However, after 34…d4!, Black’s coordination suddenly held everything together; the queen on b3 defends f7, and the initiative faded, allowing the game to simplify into a draw.

Instead, the decisive continuation was: 34.Rxf7! with strong attacking ideas, including the threat of 35.Qxg5 and mating patterns on g7.

The key line continues: 34…Rxe5 35.Qa7!! Bd3 (covering h7) 36.Rxg7+ Kh8 37.Rc7 (or 37.Rf7) with decisive threats such as 38.Rc8 and 38.Qd4, leading to a winning attack.

In the FIDE Women’s Candidates, Vaishali Rameshbabu took a major step toward winning the tournament by defeating Aleksandra Goryachkina with the Black pieces.

In their game featuring a London System, Vaishali equalised comfortably, and the position was heading toward a draw when Goryachkina missed a crucial tactical resource spotted by her opponent.

Most moves would have preserved equality (one of them is 30. a4), but 30.Be2–c4?? proved to be the decisive mistake.

Under time pressure, Goryachkina failed to notice that her rook was becoming dangerously trapped. After 30…Bc6!, White had no way to prevent …Nd7, which would win the trapped rook.

Goryachkina tried 31.Rxc5, but after 31…b6, she was forced to give up the exchange and resigned a few moves later. In her post-game press conference, Vaishali reflected on the game and her improved standing in the tournament.

The other three games also ended in draws. Kateryna Lagno and Anna Muzychuk have played many games against each other, with Muzychuk holding a slight plus score in their head-to-head. This time, Anna switched from the Grünfeld Defence to a Queen’s Indian / Bogo-Indian hybrid.

Although the position out of the opening was slightly more pleasant for White, Muzychuk held the balance comfortably, finishing with an impressive 98% accuracy.

The game between Zhu Jiner and Divya Deshmukh was also very well played by both sides. Zhu Jiner spent a long time in the opening in a Maroczy Bind sideline against the Sicilian, but Divya had clearly done her preparation and played quickly, reaching a slightly inferior but fully defendable position. She even had a small chance to press in the endgame, but the game ultimately petered out into a draw.

Finally, Tan Zhongyi came closest to scoring a full point against Bibisara Assaubayeva. As commentator Peter Svidler noted, Tan has been having a difficult tournament so far, with three losses and no wins. In this game, she arrived well-prepared, played confidently, and put her opponent under pressure.

However, just when a draw in the rook endgame should have (and ultimately did) arise, Assaubayeva made a single inaccuracy that briefly allowed winning chances. Unfortunately for Tan, those chances were not converted, and the game still ended in a draw.

Standings after Round 11

This afternoon’s fan-zone activities included a Q&A session with Viswanathan Anand, as well as a masterclass led by Harshit Raja.

In addition, several players, including Divya Deshmukh, delighted fans with their presence, signing chessboards, T-shirts, and taking part in photo opportunities.

The twelfth round will commence on April 12, at 3:30 pm (Cyprus).

Official website: https://candidates2026.fide.com/

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

Live daily broadcast with GM commentary: https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Written by IM Michael A. Rahal (Cyprus)

Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga

Sindarov takes command with stunning win over Praggnanandhaa; Women’s Candidates tightens as Assaubayeva and Goryachkina strike

editor_d — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:50:11 +0000

Javokhir Sindarov took a major step toward glory this afternoon at the Cyprus FIDE Candidates, defeating R Praggnanandhaa in a striking game. With only four rounds remaining, Sindarov now leads the field by a full two points.

In the Women’s Tournament, Vaishali remains in the lead, but Bibisara Assaubayeva and Aleksandra Goryachkina have re-entered contention following their Round 10 victories.

Let’s take a closer look at this afternoon’s action in the playing venue at the Cap St. Georges Hotel & Resort, here in Cyprus.

This afternoon, a true legend of the game, Boris Gelfand, performed the ceremonial first move on Javokhir Sindarov’s board. Gelfand, the winner of the 2009 FIDE World Cup and the 2011 Candidates Tournament, was also the runner-up in the 2012 World Chess Championship.

In a delightful touch, he was joined in the frame by his 2012 opponent, Viswanathan Anand, the five-time World Champion and current FIDE Deputy President.

As the players settled in and adjusted their pieces at the start of the round, commentators Jan Gustafsson and Peter Svidler discussed possible outcomes. Svidler summed it up perfectly: “I think it will be more of the same. Javokhir will continue to be very comfortable at the top, and absolute mayhem in the women’s event, which continues day in, day out. Predicting that tournament has really become a fool’s errand.”

The resemblance between his prediction and what actually transpired was uncanny!

Sindarov chose to challenge his opponent’s preparation in a highly complex and dangerous line of the Queen’s Gambit. Reflecting on the decision afterward, he admitted: “I went into a very tricky position. Probably it wasn’t such a good idea to play like this in my situation.”

Praggnanandhaa managed to win a piece in exchange for two pawns, but Sindarov seized the initiative and launched a dangerous attack. The critical moment arose on move 22: although Black had a piece for two pawns, his king was exposed.

As Sindarov demonstrated after the game, Black’s best chance was 22…Be6. After 23. Rf6 Qh7! 24. Qxh7+ Kxh7 25. Rxh6+ Kxh6 26. Rf6+ Kg5 27. Rxe6 Rd8!, White would retain only a slight edge, with a draw the most likely outcome.

Instead, Praggnanandhaa played 22…Bd7?, and after 23. Rf7! Qxf7 24. Rxf7 Kxf7 25. Qf4+! Kg7 26. Qg5+! Kh7 27. Qe7+!, Sindarov decisively picked up the bishop on d7 and converted the position with ease.

In the post-game press conference, Sindarov remained composed: “I think I am very close, but I still have two important games with Black. I’m just trying not to think about it and to play good chess as always.” He also shared his coach’s advice: “If I deserve the title, I will get it, so don’t think about the result. And if I don’t, we will keep working toward it.”

Beating Praggnanandhaa is no small feat. Praggnanandhaa is known for his resilience and preparation, so a decisive win suggests Sindarov is not just leading, but doing so with real authority.

A two-point lead with four rounds remaining is massive in a Candidates tournament; at this level, even a one-point cushion is often decisive. If Sindarov maintains composure, he’s now the clear favourite to win the event and potentially earn a shot at the World Championship.

The other three games ended in remarkably solid draws, with accuracy levels nearing 98% and virtually no mistakes: an afternoon of near-perfect chess.

Anish Giri and Hikaru Nakamura opted for a fashionable Exchange Variation of the Queen’s Gambit. Giri managed to secure a slight initiative, but Nakamura defended precisely and neutralized any real chances.

Andrey Esipenko failed to generate anything tangible with White against Matthias Bluebaum’s reliable Petroff Defence. After a series of exchanges, the game quickly simplified into a symmetrical position, and a draw was agreed without much fuss.

In the third game, Wei Yi tested the 4.Nge2 line against Fabiano Caruana’s French Winawer. Although Wei Yi obtained a slight edge thanks to the bishop pair in a queenless middlegame, Caruana’s defensive technique was impeccable, and the point was eventually shared.

On the women’s side, the tournament remains far more dynamic. Vaishali’s hold on the lead is impressive, but with Bibisara Assaubayeva and Aleksandra Goryachkina closing in after their victories, the race is very much alive.

Goryachkina, in particular, brings a wealth of top-level experience – including a Women’s World Championship match – and is always a serious threat in the closing stages of an event.

Vaishali comfortably held Anna Muzychuk to a draw with the black pieces, in a game that featured flawless play from both sides, without a single inaccuracy.

Meanwhile, Kateryna Lagno did manage to obtain a slight edge against Tan Zhongyi, who surprised with the offbeat O’Kelly Sicilian. However, Lagno misplayed a tricky endgame, allowing Tan Zhongyi to once again demonstrate her excellent defensive technique and secure the draw.

The two games producing decisive outcomes followed very different trajectories. The encounter between Divya Deshmukh and Aleksandra Goryachkina had been balanced for most of the game, but around move sixty, already under time pressure, Divya committed a critical endgame mistake and paid a heavy price.

Goryachkina was understandably delighted to score her first win of the tournament and was all smiles in her interview afterward: “I can’t remember a tournament in which I haven’t won at least one game in the first nine rounds. I’m happy to be winning again,” she said.

Another key result of the day was Bibisara Assaubayeva’s victory over Zhu Jiner, who had started the round as co-leader. The game remained roughly balanced for a long time, but as the time control approached, Zhu Jiner chose an inaccurate plan, and her position quickly began to deteriorate.

After a relatively quiet stretch, Assaubayeva now appears to be regaining momentum and could well emerge as a serious late contender if she manages to string together a few more wins.

Standings after Round 10

Boris Gelfand delighted fans this afternoon with a simultaneous exhibition, followed by an engaging Q&A session. He delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 20 wins, 2 draws, and just a single loss.

As a charming footnote, Gelfand’s son was also among the participants in the simul, adding a personal touch to the event.

Gelfand also spent a few minutes with Charlize van Zyl, giving his thoughts on the event.

Tomorrow is the third rest day and the eleventh round will commence on April 11, at 3:30 pm (Cyprus).

Official website: https://candidates2026.fide.com/

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

Live daily broadcast with GM commentary: https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Written by IM Michael A. Rahal (Cyprus)

Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga

FIDE Candidates: Sindarov stumbles, Giri strikes as race tightens

editor_d — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:01:27 +0000

Javokhir Sindarov missed a clear opportunity to secure victory this afternoon against Matthias Bluebaum, allowing Anish Giri to narrow the gap after defeating Fabiano Caruana with the black pieces. With five rounds remaining, Sindarov still leads by 1.5 points.

Vaishali and Zhu Jiner share the lead at the FIDE Women’s Candidates with 5.5/9, following victories over Divya Deshmukh and Kateryna Lagno, respectively. Meanwhile, Anna Muzychuk squandered a highly promising endgame, slipping behind the leaders.

Let’s take a closer look at how the afternoon unfolded.

The ceremonial opening move was played by Paris Klerides, General Secretary of the Cyprus Chess Federation and FIDE Delegate for Cyprus, who made the symbolic 1.e4 on behalf of Matthias Bluebaum. However, Bluebaum opted for 1.d4 instead. Javokhir Sindarov replied with a very rare line – the Harrwitz Attack in the Queen’s Gambit Declined.

Commentator Jan Gustafsson was surprised: “I have never seen this move order before, so I suspect that maybe Bluebaum hasn’t either.” Very soon, both players found themselves in uncharted territory, reaching a position with opposite-side castling and no significant master games for reference.

Position of the day

The critical moment arose after White played 24.bxa4. In this position, Sindarov would have had excellent winning chances with 24…Qb7 or even 24…Qa5, keeping the queens on the board and continuing the attack. Instead, he chose 24…Bxa4?, allowing a queen exchange and easing the pressure.

In the post-game press conference, Sindarov admitted his miscalculation: “It was an interesting game. I had a big advantage, but I missed his resource 29.f5 in the endgame. I thought I was winning a pawn, but I should have kept the queens on the board; I would have had a very strong attack.”

Bluebaum, for his part, acknowledged his good fortune: “I played like a clown and wanted to resign after 22…a4, but he let me escape into the endgame and secure a draw.”

During the afternoon an unexpected visitor made an appearance in the playing hall and then did a spot of commentary in the analysis booth.

With this result, both Fabiano Caruana and Anish Giri had a chance to close the gap, and they didn’t disappoint. Having competed in elite tournaments for over fifteen years, it is no surprise that they have faced each other many times, with a narrow 7–4 edge in favor of the Dutch number one.

In a classical Italian Game, with Giri leaving his trusted Najdorf in the “drawing box” for this encounter, both players followed well-established theoretical lines, reaching a complex middlegame with a closed pawn structure and roughly an hour remaining on the clock for each.

The position remained approximately balanced, though slightly easier to handle for Giri, when Caruana committed a serious blunder on move 37, very near the time control and under mounting pressure. As he transitioned toward the endgame, he activated his king, inadvertently allowing a subtle tactical shot that Giri spotted immediately.

Giri uncorked the fantastic 42…f5+! and after 43.exf5 Kh6!! threatening 44…Bh5 mate. Caruana resigned as 44.fxg6 fails to 44…e4! followed by 45…Qg5 mate or 44.Kf3 e4!+ 45.Qxe4 Bh5+ 46.Kf4 Qg5 checkmate.

The other two games also ended in draws, although R Praggnanandhaa let a winning position slip against Wei Yi and was clearly disappointed after the game.

The last game to finish, between Hikaru Nakamura and Andrey Esipenko, was a 92-move draw. The position remained balanced for most of the game, although Nakamura eventually managed to win a pawn.

Peter Svidler quickly captured the essence of Black’s opening choice: “It’s a pretty dry position in which Andrey is basically saying that he doesn’t mind being strategically slightly worse because he will make a draw.”

In the end, Esipenko demonstrated excellent rook endgame technique, holding the draw without any real difficulty using the method of frontal checks. It is a must-see game for anyone looking to improve their technique in this type of ending.

In the Women’s FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, R Vaishali and Zhu Jiner broke away from the five-way tie with important victories.

Vaishali, now scoring 3.5 out of her last four games, defeated Divya Deshmukh, who blundered a tactical sequence in the middlegame that left her without adequate defense. In her post-game interview, Vaishali said she was very happy with her performance, while Divya admitted that her middlegame play had been inaccurate, pointing in particular to 17…Nd7, where she overlooked the ensuing ideas involving Qd4.

Meanwhile, Zhu Jiner employed the fashionable setup with 1.Nf3, 2.e3, and 3.b3 with White. Kateryna Lagno responded in classical style, seizing central space with pawns and the bishop pair in exchange for a long-term weakness around her castled king.

After the queens were exchanged, Lagno blundered a pawn in the endgame, and Zhu Jiner converted her advantage with excellent technique.

FIDE’s presenter Charlize van Zyl caught up with the winner after the game.

The other two games ended peacefully. Bibisara Assaubayeva introduced a very interesting idea on move three in the Rossolimo Attack against Aleksandra Goryachkina with 3…Nd4. Peter Svidler was surprised: “This is a move that, honestly, I did not think was playable in this particular setup, but I guess everything is these days.”

However, the surprise value of a move, combined with a few focused hours of engine preparation, can work wonders in a single game. Jan Gustafsson noted: “Goryachkina did look very shaky yesterday (against Kateryna Lagno) when faced with a surprise.”

In this afternoon’s encounter, however, Goryachkina chose not to take risks, opting instead for a solid approach with mass exchanges leading to an equal endgame.

In the final game, both players – Tan Zhongyi and Anna Muzychuk – were coming off losses the previous day and needed a win, albeit for different reasons. Facing a sharp and tactical Grünfeld Defence, Tan opted for an early queen exchange, aiming to capitalize on the bishop pair in the endgame.

Muzychuk, however, established an excellent blockade with her knight and maintained a superior pawn structure, eventually achieving a significant advantage in the endgame. Although engines suggest there may have been a winning path, it was far from straightforward. Despite being a pawn down, Tan Zhongyi managed to hold the draw in an opposite-coloured bishop ending.

With the sun shining, this afternoon’s fan zone moved outdoors. Former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk hosted a chess quiz, while Ivan Cheparinov entertained fans with live commentary on the games in progress.

In addition, several players stayed on after their games to offer photo opportunities and sign autographs.

Standings after Round 9

The tenth round will commence on April 9, at 3:30 pm (Cyprus).

Official website: https://candidates2026.fide.com/

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

Live daily broadcast with GM commentary: https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Written by IM Michael A. Rahal (Cyprus)

Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga

Five-way tie keeps FIDE Women’s Candidates wide open; Sindarov increases his lead

editor_d — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:40:45 +0000

Reinvigorated after the second rest day, the sixteen contenders returned to the playing hall for the first of seven rounds in the second half of the event. Playing with Black, FIDE Candidates tournament leader Javokhir Sindarov held his opponent to a draw this afternoon.

Combined with Fabiano Caruana’s loss against Hikaru Nakamura, the result leaves Sindarov two full points clear of the field. Meanwhile, Anish Giri narrowed the gap by defeating Praggnanandhaa R in a finely played technical game.

In the FIDE Women’s Candidates, Anna Muzychuk lost to Divya Deshmukh, leaving five players tied for the lead and the tournament wide open. Three decisive outcomes in Round 8 highlight the remarkable balance and competitiveness of the women’s field.

Let’s take a closer look at the action this afternoon in the Cap St. Georges Hotel & Resort in Cyprus.

David Luiz, player of Pafos FC and former player for the Brazil national team, Arsenal, Chelsea and PSG, UEFA Champions League winner, made the ceremonial first move in the game between Andrey Esipenko and Javokhir Sindarov, while ⁠Moshe Slav, FIDE Delegate representing Israel and member of the European Chess Union Board opened the Muzychuk vs Divya game.

Even before the key game of the round began, commentator GM Peter Svidler predicted that Andrey Episenko would push for a win against tournament leader Javokhir Sindarov. “He can’t fight for first place, obviously, but he will still want to do something—what could be more memorable than beating the runaway leader?”

As usual, Sindarov blitzed out his moves in a main-line Catalan, building up more than a 30-minute advantage on the clock. “I prepared very well. I expected a Catalan and a long game, and after the opening I reached a position from my preparation,” he explained afterward. On move 20, he made a well-judged pawn sacrifice to seize complete control of the light squares. “I understood that if I didn’t sacrifice a pawn, I would be slightly worse.”

Andrey Episenko spent nearly half an hour searching for a better continuation but ultimately found nothing more than a threefold repetition – an evaluation even the engines confirm.

Meanwhile, on the other board, the tournament pursuers were in need of points. Hikaru Nakamura has traditionally enjoyed a strong record against Fabiano Caruana, but he has not been performing at his usual level in Cyprus. Still, in his recaps he continues to stress a “game-by-game” approach, ready to seize any opportunity that arises.

This afternoon, his opening preparation paid off. “I played this same line against Oparin, Caruana’s second!” noted Jan Gustafsson during the live broadcast. Caruana soon found himself significantly behind on the clock, down nearly an hour.

Nonetheless, Fabiano’s solid play kept him well in the game, as he gradually simplified into a double-rook endgame, positions that are notoriously tricky to handle.

Position of the day

With around fourteen minutes on his clock to make twelve moves, Fabiano Caruana played 28…h5?

Although he was already slightly worse in the endgame, Caruana still had solid drawing chances with 28…Ra-b2!, conceding the a5-pawn but activating his rook along the second rank and heading for a defensible rook ending a pawn down.

The problem with 28…h5 is that after 29.Rd1! Rb-b2 30.Rd8+ Kh7 31.Rd7! Rxf2 32.Rxg7+, White’s rooks penetrate decisively to the seventh rank. In such positions, their activity becomes overwhelming. Even though Hikaru Nakamura had to work until move 67 to convert the advantage, the outcome was no longer seriously in doubt.

You can also check out Hikaru Nakamura’s post-game press conference, where he goes through the critical moments in detail.

Praggnanandhaa R opted for one of the sharp and unbalanced lines in the Queen’s Gambit Accepted that he enjoys so much, but once again Anish Giri’s opening preparation proved excellent, with the Dutchman only beginning to think seriously around move thirteen.

Capitalizing on a couple of inaccuracies, Giri steered the game into a position featuring a strong knight against a weak bishop, along with a slightly superior pawn structure.

From there, the grind began: the Dutch grandmaster methodically created a passed pawn, which ultimately decided the game in his favor.

Both players later joined the press conference to share their thoughts on the game and their overall performance.

Wei Yi once again returned to his favorite Vienna Game–Bishop’s Opening, a surprising choice after the rest day, when his opponent would have had ample time to prepare. He offered an early pawn sacrifice, which Matthias Bluebaum declined in favor of a more solid approach with Black: a sensible strategy against such an aggressive opponent.

Still, Wei Yi is always looking to complicate matters, and he soon found a way to sacrifice an entire rook to expose Black’s castled king. Although the engines suggested nothing more than a perpetual check, Wei Yi spent over half an hour searching for winning chances before ultimately having to settle for a draw.

In the FIDE Women’s Candidates, this afternoon’s results have dramatically reshaped the standings, with five players now tied for first place and six rounds remaining. The most important encounter featured Anna Muzychuk against Divya Deshmukh. “Probably the pairing of the day. Divya has had a bit of resurgence and was very close to winning her last two games,” noted Peter Svidler during the live stream.

Around move twenty, Muzychuk was already enjoying a clear spatial advantage, with no weaknesses and promising attacking prospects on the kingside. “I’m impressed with Anna’s opening preparation, considering she is the only player who hasn’t been preparing for the last few months,” reflected Svidler. “Divya does like her …c5 structures, but this time she allowed the Maroczy Bind, and Anna, as a classical player, is very comfortable controlling the centre. The engine generally prefers White’s grip, so it’s difficult to keep the balance,” added Jan Gustafsson.

Muzychuk gradually pressed her advantage and at one point reached a completely winning position, but she faltered in time trouble. The position eventually simplified to a draw, but in an attempt to play for more, she overpressed and ultimately had to concede defeat. A major setback for the Ukrainian grandmaster, who now shares the lead with four others after previously holding a full-point advantage.

In her post-game press conference, Divya said she should have won one of her earlier games as well, describing both that one and this encounter as topsy-turvy. She added that, in the end, things tend to balance out.

In her game against Aleksandra Goryachkina, Kateryna Lagno introduced a relatively new idea featuring a positional pawn sacrifice. The concept proved effective, as Goryachkina soon fell behind on the clock and, although she may have suspected the pawn capture was not the most accurate, she was unable to find a satisfactory alternative and quickly drifted into a clearly lost position.

“I think Goryachkina probably didn’t know the opening well and may have played 15…f5 to get out of my preparation, as I was blitzing my moves,” Lagno noted in her post-game interview.

In another key encounter, Zhu Jiner, playing Black in a classical Nimzo-Indian Defence, faced the Capablanca Variation with 4.Qc2 from Tan Zhongyi. Both players blitzed through the opening phase, but once theory ended Zhu Jiner began to think deeply, eventually formulating a strong plan that left her with a comfortable position against an isolated d-pawn.

She steadily increased her advantage, achieving an impressive 95% accuracy performance, while keeping her chances alive in the race to win the event and qualify for the World Championship match.

In the final game of the round, R Vaishali repeated the same line she had used successfully in round six against Bibisara Assaubayeva, reaching a comfortable and playable position that came as a surprise in the commentators’ booth, given Assaubayeva’s opening choice.

Nevertheless, Assaubayeva managed to keep things under control. Although Vaishali pressed her small edge into the endgame, the game ultimately fizzled out into a draw.

Off the board, the fan zone featured a Q&A session with Sagar Shah of ChessBase India, followed by a meet-and-greet with Viswanathan Anand and a photo session with the Candidates’ Cups. In addition, Wei Yi and several other players joined fans for photos and autographs.

Standings after Round 8

The ninth round will commence on April 8 at 3:30 pm (Cyprus).

Official website: https://candidates2026.fide.com/

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

Live daily broadcast with GM commentary: https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Written by IM Michael A. Rahal (Cyprus)

Photos: Michal Walusza, Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenbaum)