An outright winner emerges!

Vaishali Rameshbabu won the Women's Candidates Tournament after defeating Kateryna Lagno with the white pieces to secure first place outright and avoid the need for playoffs. The result earned her the right to challenge Ju Wenjun in the next match for the Women's World Championship title.

The final round had begun with six players still holding mathematical chances of winning the tournament. Vaishali and Bibisara Assaubayeva shared the lead, while Zhu Jiner stood half a point behind. Three more players, each a half point further back, could (incredibly) also still reach a playoff, given the final-round pairings. Tiebreaks seemed very likely. In the end, however, none were needed.

Lagno was one of the players who began the day a point behind the leaders, which meant that she needed to play for a win while marshalling the black pieces against Vaishali. As a result, she adopted an ambitious approach, and this ultimately worked in the Indian GM's favour.

Vaishali was able to gain an advantage quite quickly out of the opening and never lost control of the game afterwards. She converted efficiently and finished the event on 8½/14.

Ruy Lopez for the tournament player - A Complete White Repertoire against the Marshall, Berlin & Co

This video course provides a comprehensive and practical White repertoire in the Ruy Lopez! Through instructive model games and in-depth theoretical explanations, you will learn how to confidently handle both main lines and sidelines.
This video course provides a comprehensive and practical White repertoire in the Ruy Lopez! Through instructive model games and in-depth theoretical explanations, you will learn how to confidently handle both main lines and sidelines.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: Overview
Free video sample: Chigorin: 9...Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7/cxd4

ChessBase interview with the tournament winner

Game over - the new challenger for the women's world title arranges the pieces for a last time in the event | Photo: FIDE / Niki Riga

Assaubayeava, meanwhile, only managed a draw in her game against Divya Deshmukh. Like Lagno, she chose an enterprising setup with the black pieces in an effort to keep her own winning chances alive. This allowed Deshmukh to obtain the upper hand in a complicated position. Assaubayeva still generated practical counterplay, however, and even introduced the speculative 25...Nxf2?, as her opponent ran dangerously low on time.

The move was objectively incorrect, but Deshmukh did not find the accurate refutation. There followed 26.Rd7 Qf6, and now White faltered with 27.Rxb7?

And the game eventually ended in a draw. The result left Assaubayeva in sole second place, which is a strong finish in her debut appearance at a Women's Candidates Tournament, even if the event naturally places all the focus on first place.

Bibisara Assaubayeva shares her feelings after the game

Bibisara Assaubayeva | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Mastering the London System

In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
The London System is one of the most popular openings at every level of chess but not all Londons are the same. In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: 5...cxd4 6.exd4 Qb6 sidelines

Divya Deshmukh | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Divya Deshmukh looks forward to the future

Third place was shared by Zhu Jiner and Aleksandra Goryachkina. Zhu drew Anna Muzychuk with the black pieces in the final round, while Goryachkina climbed into a tie for third by defeating Tan Zhongyi. Muzychuk, who had been among the leaders deep into the tournament, ultimately finished outside the top three after a difficult final stretch.

Round 14 results

Anna Muzychuk and Zhu Jiner | Photo: FIDE / Niki Riga

Understanding Material Imbalances

This DVD focuses on several types of material imbalances, such as Rook vs 2 Pieces, Queen vs 2 Rooks, and Queen vs Pieces.

Aleksandra Goryachkina | Photo: FIDE / Niki Riga

Tan Zhongyi | Photo: FIDE / Niki Riga

An unexpected champion?

Vaishali's victory is somewhat unexpected from a rating perspective. The 24-year-old from Chennai entered the tournament as the lowest-rated player in the field. By scoring 8½/14, she gained 26 rating points, but she still remains below the 2500 mark and is more than 60 points behind women's world champion Ju Wenjun in the live rankings.

At the same time, Vaishali has already shown on several occasions that she can produce outstanding performances in important events. Notably, she won back-to-back titles at the Women's Grand Swiss in 2023 and 2025, and finished tied for second in the 2024 Women's Candidates after ending the tournament with five consecutive wins. At the Qatar Masters, where she secured her final grandmaster norm, she scored 5/9 and produced a performance rating of 2609.

Although she has only crossed the 2500 mark once in an official rating list, Vaishali has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to perform well under pressure. That quality could prove especially important in the match against Ju. She is also likely to receive considerable support from the Indian chess community, both in terms of preparation and public backing, including from none other than living legend Viswanathan Anand, who shared on X:

Master Class Vol. 12: Viswanathan Anand

This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors how to successfully organise your games strategically, and how to keep your opponent permanently under pressure.

Congratulations Vaishali. She showed excellent preparation and resilience. Took the blows and delivered the punches. A proud moment for Indian chess with two Indians to cheer for in the World Championships. Personally proud that our Westbridge Anand Chess Academy mentee will now have a shot at the world title. Being from Chennai is just another flex!

Friends and family await | Photo: FIDE / Niki Riga

Two Indian superstars - Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali Rameshbabu! | Photo: FIDE / Niki Riga

Final standings

All games

• Official website: candidates2026.fide.com
• Tickets are available here: tickets.fide.com

Master Class Vol.16 - Judit Polgar

In this video course, experts (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) examine the games of Judit Polgar. Let them show you which openings Polgar chose to play, where her strength in middlegames were, or how she outplayed her opponents in the endgame.