Chennai Grand Masters: India's R Vaishali on Wednesday won the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026, earning her the chance to compete for the World Championship against Ju Wenjun later this year.
The 24-year-old secured her win in dramatic style, defeating Kateryna Lagno 8.5/14 in the final round with white pieces.
She played calmly and effectively, finishing half a point ahead of the competition. This victory marked an incredible turnaround; 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, claiming the top prize.
In her decisive game, Vaishali maintained her composure. Her opening strategy worked flawlessly, giving her an early advantage that she methodically turned into a win. With a pawn lead, she played 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 needed some favorable results to secure her victory. Fellow Indian player Divya Deshmukh played a key role by drawing against Bibisara Assaubayeva. Since Assaubayeva started the round with the same number of points as Vaishali, this draw ensured Vaishali’s win was decisive.
Vaishali’s triumph is even more remarkable considering how close she came to not participating.
Although her win was critical, she needed some favorable results to secure her victory. Fellow Indian player Divya Deshmukh played a key role by drawing against Bibisara Assaubayeva. Since Assaubayeva started the round with the same number of points as Vaishali, this draw ensured Vaishali’s win was decisive.
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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.