120 minutes on the clock. 4-6 hours of intense action on average. Tactics change with color. Planning is different. The double round ensures that pressure, tactics, planning and thinking are tested at different levels. Such is the nature of the candidate chess tournament. Whoever wins the candidates continues the fight for the world champion. It is the yardstick that determines who is a legitimate challenger.
Read the full article
The Candidates 2026 competition, played at the magnificent Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Cyprus, saw the completion of four rounds in both the Open and Women categories. The tournament now heads into the first rest day on Thursday, April 2. Many offer players the chance to recover and plan for the remaining 10 grueling rounds.
The day off couldn’t have come at a better time for Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh and Vaishali Rameshbaba. All three Indians are trying to win the right to challenge Gukesh and Ju Wenjun. While there were moments of jubilation, the big picture suggests that the dream of an Indian world chess champion may be fading.
PRAGGNANANDHAA: STRONG START, CLICK IN MIDDLE
If there is one serious hope for India in the 2026 bids, it is Praggnanandhaa. Having already appeared in the 2024 Candidates in Toronto and qualified by winning the 2025 FIDE Circuit, he started the tournament in impressive fashion.
In the 1st round, he beat Anish Giri at the start of the Grand Prix of Sicily. His quick and precise movements reflected deep preparation and confidence against elite opposition.
Against Wei Yi, Praggnanandhaa showed adaptability with the French defense and held a solid draw in the positional battle. However, challenges still loom in the form of Fabian Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura and Javokhiro Sindarov.
The clash against Sindarov proved decisive. In the balanced middle game arising from Queen’s Gambit Declined, Praggnanandhaa faltered. An overly aggressive pawn push on c5 followed by a queen’s move on b3 caused his position to collapse. Sindarov cashed in by removing the bishop on c2 and the game ran away in seven moves.
The moment highlighted the brutal nature of the candidates, where one bad judgment can undo hours of precision.
In the final round before the break, Praggnanandhaa held Matthias Bluebaum to a quick draw under 40 moves, showing resilience but also missing a chance to regain momentum.
DIVYA AND VAISHALI: STANDING BEGINNINGS, MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
In the women’s section, the opening rounds were played cautiously, initially without decisive results. Vaishali drew against Bibisara Assaubayeva while Divya was held by Anna Muzychuk.
The turning point came when Divya and Vaishali were pitted against each other. Vaishali blundered with the knight move on e4, allowing Divya to gain the initiative with rook activity. However, after moving the queen to g3, Divya lost her advantage. Vaishali responded brilliantly with a queen sacrifice to escape with a draw.
Vaishali has remained steady with consistent draws but Divya is struggling to convert key positions. Against Alexandre Goryachkina, she faltered in the long endgame. Against Zhu Jiner, a king move on h7 in the middle game led to a quick collapse under time pressure.
WHAT CAN A DAY OF REST CHANGE FOR INDIA?
The lessons from the first four rounds are clear. The Indian contingent has little margin for error and must now push for victory in the remaining rounds.
Praggnanandhaa needs to strike the right balance between aggression and control. His overexertion at key moments cost him valuable points.
Missed tactical opportunities proved costly for Divya. Being her first candidate, adapting quickly to high-pressure situations will be essential.
Vaishali has shown poise so far, but tougher challenges lie ahead. In the meantime, Sindarov gained a 1.5-point lead and put pressure on the chasing pack.
Time is running out for India. Even with 10 rounds to go, the unpredictable nature of the candidates means consistency is everything. At this stage, every move counts and every missed opportunity can prove decisive.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
02 Apr 2026 11:14 IST
