Vaishali Leads Women's FIDE Candidates Tournament After Strong Performance R Vaishali secured the sole lead in the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates tournament after a decisive draw against Anna Muzychuk in Round 10. The Indian grandmaster maintained a steady position throughout the game, avoiding any significant threats from her opponent. This result elevated Vaishali to a half-point advantage over the rest of the field, as Zhu Jiner’s loss to Bibisara Assaubayeva further solidified her position. Divya Deshmukh, meanwhile, faced a setback after a critical blunder in the endgame against Aleksandra Goryachkina, leaving her 1.5 points behind the leader. The women’s tournament remains highly competitive, with the top six players separated by just one point. Zhu Jiner and Muzychuk both sit on 5.5 points, half a point behind Vaishali’s 6.0. The standings reflect a tight race, with the top contenders still within striking distance. In Round 11, Vaishali will face Goryachkina with the black pieces, while Divya will take on Zhu Jiner with the black pieces. The upcoming matches will be crucial in determining the final standings. The results of Round 10 for the women’s event include: Anna Muzychuk drew 0.5-0.5 with R Vaishali Divya Deshmukh lost 0.5-0.5 to Aleksandra Goryachkina Bibisara Assaubayeva defeated Zhu Jiner 1-0 Kateryna Lagno drew 0.5-0.5 with Tan Zhongyi The standings after Round 10 are as follows: Anna Muzychuk - 5.5 Kateryna Lagno - 5 Bibisara Assaubayeva - 5 Aleksandra Goryachkina - 5 Divya Deshmukh - 4.5 Tan Zhongyi - 3.5 Javokhir Sindarov’s dominance in the open event continued as he defeated R Praggnanandhaa for the second time in the tournament. The Uzbek grandmaster capitalized on a decisive blunder by the Indian player in the middlegame, securing a clear victory.#anna_muzychuk #divya_deshmukh #bibisara_assaubayeva #vaishali_r #aleksandra_goryachkina
