R Vaishali Dominates FIDE Women's Candidates with Key Victory

R Vaishali has made a significant impact in the FIDE Women's Candidates tournament by defeating Aleksandra Goryachkina, which has solidified her lead with seven points. As the competition heats up, Zhu Jiner and Anna Muzychuk trail closely behind. In the open section, Javokhir Sindarov is also making waves with his performance. With only a few rounds left, the excitement is palpable as players vie for the top positions. Stay tuned for more updates on this thrilling chess event.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 12, 2026, 15:13 IST

R Vaishali's Remarkable Win

In a pivotal moment at the FIDE Women's Candidates tournament, R Vaishali achieved a crucial victory over Aleksandra Goryachkina, utilizing the black pieces in Round 11. Vaishali took advantage of a critical mistake that resulted in Goryachkina's rook being trapped, ultimately leading to her resignation, as reported by ESPN.

Current Standings and Competitors

With this win, R Vaishali solidified her lead in the tournament, accumulating seven points from 11 games. She is now a full point ahead of Zhu Jiner and Anna Muzychuk, who are tied for second place. In other matches, Divya Deshmukh managed to secure a draw against Zhu Jiner, while Anna Muzychuk also drew with Kateryna Lagno.

Open Section Highlights

In the open section, India's R Praggnanandhaa ended his match against Matthias Bluebaum in a draw, bringing his total to 4.5 points. Javokhir Sindarov, competing with black, drew his lengthy match against Fabiano Caruana, increasing his score to 8.5 points and inching closer to a Candidates victory. Anish Giri, trailing behind, stands at 6.5 points after a draw with Andrey Esipenko, while Hikaru Nakamura also shared points with Wei Yi.

FIDE Candidates 2026 Standings

Women's Standings

R Vaishali - 7

Zhu Jiner - 6

Anna Muzychuk - 6

Bibisara Assaubayeva - 5.5

Kateryna Lagno - 5.5

Aleksandra Goryachkina - 5

Divya Deshmukh - 5

Tan Zhongyi - 4

Open Standings

Javokhir Sindarov - 8.5

Anish Giri - 6.5

Fabiano Caruana - 5.5

Hikaru Nakamura - 5

Wei Yi - 5

Matthias Bluebaum - 5

R Praggnanandhaa - 4.5

Andrey Esipenko - 4