Vaishali Rameshbabu of India vs Tan Zhongi of China (Photo: Yoav Nis) NEW DELHI: If you asked the global chess community about the likely winner of FIDE Candidates 2026, the answer would be almost unanimous: Javokhir Sindarov. The ruthless efficiency of the Uzbek sensation, evidenced by a stunning score of 6/7, suggests that the crown is already being measured on his head. Yet while the open section feels like a given, the women’s category has descended into a chaotic arena where experience and titles don’t seem to matter.With a field of eight elite grandmasters, the tournament has become a “comedy or tragedy of errors,” depending on which side of the board you sit on.
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Exclusive Nihal Sarin: 2026 Candidates Predictions, Anish Giri’s ‘Drawish’ Label & More #chess Round 7 at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Cyprus on Sunday brought a massive boost to the points table for the Indian contingent. While Vaishali Rameshbabu grabbed the victory that was handed to her on a platter, Divya Deshmukh’s inability to convert a certain win into a full point remains a searing indictment of the current consummation of the Indian camp.Vaishali’s “Comedy of Errors”Vaishali Rameshbabu, this time playing with the white pieces, secured her second win in a row, defeating former women’s world champion Tan Zhongyi of China. While the score sheet reflects the victory, the road to the point was not clinical.Vaishalia’s opening choices continue to raise eyebrows as she once again found herself in a self-inflicted storm after Pirc Defense before being saved by her opponent’s incredible miss. “Vaishali started with a very passive system with white pieces against Tan Zhongyi’s Pirc Defense and by turn nine the Chinese were already in an advantageous position,” veteran grandmaster Pravin Thipsay told TimesofIndia.com in his post-match analysis. “In the end it turned out to be bad. In move 16 it was much worse. And in move 23 Vaishali was in a completely losing position until move 26.”Vaishali started very aggressively, leading an erratic series of trades, which favored her opponent more. However, the turning point was not India’s masterstroke but China’s collapse.“On the 27th move, Tan Zhongyi made an incredible knight move (27…Ne4) that led to reasonable chances for Vaishali, although she continued to be pulled down defending a difficult ending. And then came a crucial error, 37.Ra1 by Tan Zhongyi, he lost the whole piece (the bishop on f6, I think he came to the board overall) and with that came the tragedy. errors, whatever you call it, but too many errors on the action candidates,” Thipsay noted.Divya’s 135 stroke broken heartIf Vaishali was lucky, Divya Deshmukh was the architect of her own frustration. Facing Kateryna Lagno, Divya held a commanding position for most of the day.Early in the end, Thipsay predicted a clear victory for the Indian. “Divya was always in a leadership position,” Thipsay noted during the match. “He’s a pawn, and with the right technique, this position can end up being a win. Divya is a pawn in the rook, bishops and knights ending up bishops of the same suit. So it shouldn’t be too hard to win. But yes, you need some technique. The game will go on for a long time, but Divya’s victory is almost certain.”The game took a really long time. However, “almost certain” turned out to be a curse. In a grueling 135-move marathon, Lagno put up an incredibly tenacious defense, exploiting Divya’s lack of clinical accuracy.Despite the material superiority, Divya could not break the Russian stronghold and let a crucial point slip through her fingers in the uncertain moments of the first half of the tournament.Praggnanandhaa stagnates in the Open sectionIn the open section, India’s sole representative R Praggnanandhaa seems to have lost his bite. Facing world number three Fabiano Caruana, the 20-year-old Chennai-born grandmaster was unable to create any meaningful imbalance. Thipsay’s summary was brief: “The match between Praggnanandhaa and Fabiano Caruana ended in a draw. Nothing much happened.”The only drama in the Open category was provided by Anish Giri, who managed to break Sindarov’s winning streak. Giri, defending a precarious position, sacrificed an exchange to reach a theoretically drawn end.As the players embark on a rest day on April 6, India’s challenge stands at a crossroads.While Vaishali (3.5/7) and Divya (3/7) are now within striking distance of leader Anna Muzychuk, their reliance on opponent errors and failure to convert winning ends suggests a fragile revival.For India to emerge as a genuine challenger in the final seven rounds, the ‘comedy of errors’ must end and the champion’s clinical efficiency must emerge.FIDE Candidates Round 7 Results – April 5, 2026Open the section
- Andrey Espenko 0–1 Wei Yi
- Javokhir Sindarov 0.5-0.5 Anish Giri
- Matthias Blübaum 0.5-0.5 Hikaru Nakamura
- R Praggnanandhaa 0.5-0.5 Fabiano Caruana
Women’s section
- Anna Muzychuk 0.5-0.5 Bibisara Assaubayeva
- Divya Deshmukh 0.5-0.5 Kateryna Lagno
- Vaishali Rameshbabu 1-0 Tan Zhongyi
- Aleksandra Goryachkina 0.5-0.5 Zhu Jiner
FIDE Pairing Candidates Round 8 – April 7, 2026Open the section
- Andrey Esipenko vs. Javokhir Sindarov
- Wei Yi vs. Matthias Blübaum
- Anish Giri Vs. R Praggnanandhaa
- Hikaru Nakamura vs. Fabiano Caruana
Women’s section
- Anna Muzychuk vs. Divya Deshmukh
- Bibisara Assaubayeva vs. Vaishali Rameshbabu
- Kateryna Lagno vs. Alexander Goryachkin
- Tan Zhongyi vs. Zhu Jiner
