Setback for R Vaishali as Women’s Candidates Tournament Heats Up
R Vaishali faced a significant challenge in the Women’s Candidates tournament on Sunday, suffering a loss against Jiner Zhu. With only two rounds left, the competition remains open as players vie to be the next challenger for reigning world champion Ju Wenjun.
Competing with the white pieces, Vaishali aimed for a win to take sole control of the standings after a strong start. Unfortunately, her bold strategy didn’t pay off, and both of her losses in the tournament have come at the hands of Zhu. As a result, both players are now tied at the top, each holding 7 points from 12 games.
In another match, Anna Muzychuk faced a critical moment but made a mistake that allowed Aleksandra Goryachkina to draw in a well-fought encounter.
Kazakh player Bibisara Assaubayeva also made waves by defeating Kateryna Lagno, boosting her chances in the tournament. She is now just half a point behind the leaders, demonstrating her determination as the event nears its conclusion.
On the Indian side, Divya Deshmukh lost to Tan Zhongyi, which likely ended any hopes of climbing onto the podium for both players. In the Open section, Javokhir Sindarov continued his strong performance, managing a solid draw against world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura while playing with the white pieces.
With 9 points from 12 games, Sindarov is on track to make history in the Candidates tournament. Similarly, India’s R Praggnanandhaa drew with Andrey Esipenko, which has lowered his chances for a top finish, though there’s still potential for him to improve in future tournaments.
Round 12 Results
Open Section:
- Andrey Esipenko (Rus) drew with R Praggnanandhaa (Ind)
- Matthias Bluebaum (Ger) drew with Fabiano Caruana (USA)
- Hikaru Nakamura (USA) drew with Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb)
- Wei Yi (Chn) is currently playing Anish Giri (Ned)
Women’s Section:
- Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rus) drew with Anna Muzychuk (Ukr)
- R Vaishali (Ind) lost to Jiner Zhu (Chn)
- Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz) beat Kateryna Lagno (Rus)
- Zhongyi Tan (Chn) defeated Divya Deshmukh (Ind)
With the tournament drawing to a close, all eyes will be on the final rounds as players aim for glory.
