![\"Candidates](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130222677,imgsize-148578,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/r-vaishali.jpg\" "\\"<p>R")
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NEW DELHI: A round-robin format like the Candidates was always going to have a fair share of surprises for every player, and India\u2019s Vaishali Rameshbabu was served a cold one on Sunday evening at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Cyprus.Just twenty-four hours earlier, we were celebrating her tactical masterclass over Aleksandra Goryachkina. It was indeed a win where her swiftness in trapping the Russian\u2019s rook gifted her a commanding one-point lead.On Sunday, that lead vanished into thin air. China\u2019s Zhu Jiner, playing with the black pieces, produced a clinical performance to stun Vaishali. And in doing so, she secured a 2-0 head-to-head sweep against the Chennai-born Grandmaster in this tournament. <\/p>\n Watch<\/span><\/p>\n Nihal Sarin Exclusive: Candidates 2026 Predictions, Anish Giri’s ‘Drawish’ Tag, and More #Chess <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The loss has blown the Women\u2019s section wide open and left the top of the table in a dead heat.How Vaishali lost her way against Zhu Jiner<\/span>The encounter began with Vaishali opting for the Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann Defence (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5). By move five (5. cxd3), Vaishali accepted a structurally compromised position with doubled pawns, a double-edged decision aimed at controlling the centre.However, Jiner\u2019s response was patient and surgical.The tension escalated in the middlegame as Vaishali struggled to find a concrete plan to break Black\u2019s coordination. The Chinese Grandmaster began exerting pressure on the queenside, and by move 24, the cracks in White\u2019s position became craters. Jiner\u2019s 24… Nb4 was a particularly stinging blow, forcing Vaishali into a defensive crouch.In a desperate bid to complicate matters, Vaishali tried a central break with 27. d5, but Jiner\u2019s 27… Nxd5 only simplified the path to victory for Black.The endgame was a harrowing affair for the Indian fans. After the precise 30… Rg4, Jiner began a relentless march of her h-pawn.The game reached its terminal point when Jiner promoted a pawn on g1; following the exchange, the final move 39… Nc3 left Vaishali with no choice but to resign as her position disintegrated.With this defeat, Vaishali remains on 7\/12, but she is no longer alone at the summit. Zhu Jiner has now joined her at the top with the same score, setting the stage for a grandstand finish in the final two rounds.It was a sombre day for the Indian contingent. Divya Deshmukh, also playing with White, suffered a similar fate, falling to China\u2019s Tan Zhongyi.Open Section: Sindarov nears the crown<\/span>While the Women\u2019s section is defined by high-wire intrigue, the Open section is nearing a foregone conclusion. Uzbekistan\u2019s Javokhir Sindarov played out a measured draw against Hikaru Nakamura. <\/p>\n Javokhir Sindarov (Image: X)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n When chess returns to Mediterranean shores at the Candidates after a rest day on Monday, Sindarov will only have to play out a draw to officially be crowned the challenger to D Gukesh later this year.India\u2019s R Praggnanandhaa fought hard but could only manage a draw against Andrey Esipenko.ALSO READ:<\/span> Javokhir Sindarov, D Gukesh’s likely World C’ship challenger, cracks code for sponsorship woes in chess<\/a>Following a rest day, the players will return for Round 13 on April 14. For Vaishali, the mission is herculean. She must regroup and find the form. The lead may have vanished, but the championship is still very much a fight to the finish.FIDE Candidates Round 12<\/span> Results \u2013 April 12, 2026<\/span>Open Section (Round 12)<\/span>Andrey Esipenko 0.5\u20130.5 R PraggnanandhaaMatthias Bl\u00fcbaum 0.5\u20130.5 Fabiano CaruanaJavokhir Sindarov 0.5\u20130.5 Hikaru NakamuraWei Yi 0.5\u20130.5 Anish GiriWomen\u2019s Section (Round 12)<\/span>Anna Muzychuk 0.5\u20130.5 Aleksandra GoryachkinaVaishali Rameshbabu 0\u20131 Zhu JinerDivya Deshmukh 0\u20131 Tan ZhongyiBibisara Assaubayeva 1\u20130 Kateryna LagnoFIDE Candidates Round 13 Pairings \u2013 April 14, 2026<\/span>Open Section (Round 13)<\/span>Wei Yi vs Andrey EsipenkoAnish Giri vs Javokhir SindarovHikaru Nakamura vs Matthias Bl\u00fcbaumFabiano Caruana vs R PraggnanandhaaWomen\u2019s Section (Round 13)<\/span>Bibisara Assaubayeva vs Anna MuzychukKateryna Lagno vs Divya DeshmukhTan Zhongyi vs Vaishali RameshbabuZhu Jiner vs Aleksandra Goryachkina<\/div>\n\n![\"Javokhir](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-130222667\/javokhir-sindarov.jpg\" "\\"Javokhir")
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