Cairns Cup: Deshmukh beats Kosteniuk, Tan and Lee stay ahead

by Stefan Liebig
8/13/2026 – After three decisive games in each of the first two rounds, things were a little quieter on the third day of the Cairns Cup: India's Divya Deshmukh was the only winner. She handed former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk her third defeat. Such a disastrous start must be hard to find anywhere else in the career of the Swiss representative. There was no change at the top of the standings: Alice Lee and Tan Zhongyi dropped their first half-points but remain in front. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club
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Deshmukh closes in on the leaders

Tan Zhongyi and Alice Lee remained unbeaten after the third round of the Cairns Cup in Saint Louis. After their opening wins, however, both had to settle for draws. Tan drew with black against Anna Muzychuk. The engine evaluation barely moved away from equality over the course of the 70 moves, so the draw was the logical outcome. The analysis graph for Alice Lee's game against Bibisara Assaubayeva tells much the same story, although that encounter ended with a handshake after just 41 moves. Muzychuk and Assaubayeva have both started the tournament with three draws.

Alice Lee remains at the top of the Cairns Cup standings alongside Tan Zhongyi - both have 2½ points from three games | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Alexandra Kosteniuk would no doubt have preferred such a start, as her tournament began disastrously with three consecutive defeats. In round three, she lost to Divya Deshmukh.

Round 3 results

Kosteniuk opted for the Rossolimo Variation, but the choice did not work out well. Her Indian opponent handled the resulting type of position very effectively and took control straight out of the opening. Deshmukh made only one mistake, but it cost her merely part of her advantage, and Kosteniuk immediately returned the favour with an inaccurate move of her own.

Alexandra Kosteniuk lost her third game of the tournament | Photo: Lennart Ootes

The game between Vaishali Rameshbabu and Stavroula Tsolakidou was rather uneventful. With the draw, the Greek player remained in mid-table, having split the point in all three of her games so far. Vaishali, meanwhile, lost to her compatriot Deshmukh in the first round before drawing with Assaubayeva, leaving her on a 1/3 score.

Stavroula Tsolakidou in good spirits | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Carissa Yip, by contrast, had good chances shortly after the time control to score her second consecutive win following her opening-round defeat against Tan. The multiple US women's champion failed to take advantage of a major mistake by Humpy Koneru on move 42, however, and gave up her advantage over the next four moves. The game then ended in a draw without further incident.

Carissa Yip | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Standings after round 3

All games

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Topics: Cairns Cup 2026, Divya Deshmukh
Stefan Liebig, born in 1974, is a journalist and co-owner of a marketing agency. He now lives in Barterode near Göttingen. At the age of five, strange pieces on his neighbour’s shelf aroused his curiosity. Since then, the game of chess has cast a spell over him. Flying high in the NRW youth league with his home club SV Bad Laasphe and several appearances in the second division team of Tempo Göttingen were highlights for the former youth South Westphalia champion.
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8/11/2026 – Tan Zhongyi, Divya Deshmukh (pictured) and Alice Lee made winning starts to the Cairns Cup in Saint Louis, emerging as the early leaders after a first round that produced three decisive games. Tan got the better of defending champion Carissa Yip, Deshmukh overcame Vaishali Rameshbabu and Lee beat Alexandra Kosteniuk, while Humpy Koneru missed winning chances against Stavroula Tsolakidou and Bibisara Assaubayeva drew Anna Muzychuk. | Photo: Austin Fuller

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