Vaishali Wins Candidates Tournament, Earns Shot at Women’s World Chess Title
CYPRUS — India’s R. Vaishali won the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 on Wednesday, securing a place in the World Championship match against reigning champion Ju Wenjun later this year.
The 24-year-old sealed her victory with a composed performance in the final round, defeating Kateryna Lagno with the white pieces to finish on 8.5 points out of 14. She ended the tournament half a point clear of the field.
Vaishali entered the event as one of the lower-rated players but produced a standout performance throughout, marking a significant turnaround in her career.
Her win draws comparisons to D. Gukesh’s breakthrough run in 2024, when he also defied expectations to claim the Candidates title.
After finishing joint second in the previous edition with 7.5 points, Vaishali improved her tally by a full point this year to take the top prize.
In the decisive game, she gained an early advantage out of the opening and steadily converted it into a win. Holding a pawn lead, Vaishali navigated the middlegame with precision and handled critical moments around the second time control with accuracy, avoiding errors that could have shifted momentum.
Her title was confirmed with help from elsewhere in the field. Fellow Indian player Divya Deshmukh held Bibisara Assaubayeva to a draw in the final round, preventing Assaubayeva from matching Vaishali’s score.
Vaishali’s triumph is especially notable given how close she came to missing the event. After a difficult showing at the Chennai Grand Masters last August, where she scored just 1.5 points, she had considered skipping the Grand Swiss.
Even in the closing stages of the tournament, she showed resilience, rebounding after earning just half a point from her previous two games to deliver when it mattered most.
Key results earlier in the competition, including strong performances against Tan Zhongyi, also proved crucial in her title run.
With the Candidates victory, Vaishali will now face Ju Wenjun for the Women’s World Championship, aiming to become India’s next global chess champion. (Source: IANS)
