Lowest-seeded Vaishali Wins The Candidates Chess Tournament, To Challenge China’s World Champion
Paphos (Cyprus): Grandmaster R. Vaishali on Wednesday won the Women’s Candidates Chess Tournament here, earning the right to challenge China’s world champion Ju Wenjun in the coming months. If she wins that match, Vaishali could become the new Women’s World Chess Champion.
India’s top player Koneru Humpy chose not to participate in the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus due to security concerns arising from tensions in West Asia. However, Vaishali competed and went on to clinch the title.
Defeated higher-ranked opponents
Vaishali’s younger brother, R. Praggnanandhaa, had finished runner-up at the Chess World Cup in 2023 at the age of 17. The siblings are the first brother-sister duo to both achieve the Grandmaster title.
Vaishali secured an outright victory in the final round on Wednesday by defeating Russia’s Kateryna Lagno. She had entered the eight-player global event as the lowest seed but steadily climbed the standings by defeating higher-ranked opponents and drawing crucial games to finish on top.
Initial reactions after Vaishali became Women's World Championship Challenger!@chessvaishali – "Lot of things going on, I won't be able to put it in words. It's like a dream moment for me!
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) April 15, 2026
Mother Nagalakshmi – "No words – very happy!"@rpraggnachess – "Once she played c4, we… pic.twitter.com/pKOg44U1uf
Vaishali triumphs ahead of Divya
Vaishali scored the highest total of 8.5 points in the women’s event. Reigning World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh finished joint sixth with six points. The 19-year-old from Nagpur, who won the World Cup last year, was considered a strong contender for the Candidates title, but the more experienced Vaishali ultimately claimed the crown.
Mother’s support proves vital
Vaishali is four years older than her brother Praggnanandhaa and has drawn inspiration from his achievements as well. Known for her calm and composed temperament, Vaishali benefited greatly from the constant support of her mother, Nagalakshmi, who was present alongside her throughout the event, boosting her confidence.
🇮🇳 Vaishali Rameshbabu speaks about the importance of support, expressing gratitude to her family, team, and sponsors ❤️♟️#FIDECandidates #FIDEWomensCandidates #FIDE #Chess #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/K4ORKnTOl3
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) April 15, 2026
Nagalakshmi is a homemaker with a simple personality and accompanies Vaishali to most tournaments. Vaishali’s father, Rameshbabu, works as a manager in a cooperative bank in Tamil Nadu.
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