New Delhi: India’s R Vaishali on Wednesday won the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026, earning the chance to compete for the World Championship against Ju Wenjun later this year.
The 24-year-old secured her victory in dramatic style, finishing with 8.5/14 after defeating Kateryna Lagno in the final round with the white pieces.
She played calmly and effectively, finishing half a point ahead of the field. This victory marked an incredible turnaround, as she had started the tournament as one of the lowest-rated players.
Vaishali’s journey mirrored D Gukesh’s fairytale run in 2024, when he also overcame the odds to win the Candidates.
After finishing joint second in 2024 with 7.5 points, Vaishali improved by one point this time to claim the top prize.
In her decisive game, Vaishali maintained her composure throughout. Her opening strategy worked flawlessly, giving her an early advantage that she methodically converted into a win. With a pawn advantage, she handled the middlegame with great accuracy and executed several crucial moves around the second time control.
Each move required careful precision to preserve her lead, and any mistake could have allowed her opponent to catch up. However, Vaishali stayed focused and finished the game nearly flawlessly.
Although her win was critical, she also needed favorable results elsewhere to secure overall victory. Fellow Indian player Divya Deshmukh played a key role by drawing against Bibisara Assaubayeva. Since Assaubayeva had started the round level on points with Vaishali, the draw ensured Vaishali’s win was decisive.
Vaishali’s triumph is even more remarkable considering how close she came to not participating.
After a tough performance at the Chennai Grand Masters last August, where she scored only 1.5 points, she had considered skipping the Grand Swiss.
Even after scoring just half a point in her last two games before the final round, Vaishali stepped up on the biggest stage. Key moments earlier in the tournament, especially her games against Tan Zhongyi, also played a vital role in her success.
(DD News)
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