FIDE Candidates 2026 Round 12: Vaishali Loses Lead, Praggnanandhaa Held to Draw

India endured a difficult Round 12 at the FIDE Candidates 2026, with R Vaishali losing her sole lead in the Women's section, Divya Deshmukh suffering another defeat, and R Praggnanandhaa settling for a draw in the Open category.

Vaishali's loss proved particularly significant, as it reshaped the standings at a crucial stage of the tournament with only two rounds remaining.

Vaishali Slips From Sole Lead After Crucial Loss to Zhu Jiner

R Vaishali suffered a major setback after losing to China's Zhu Jiner in a high-stakes clash that directly impacted the top of the Women's Candidates standings.

Playing with the white pieces, Vaishali was navigating a tricky middle-game position before a critical blunder allowed Zhu to seize control. The defeat saw Zhu draw level with Vaishali at the top of the standings, leaving both players tied on seven points.

The result significantly tightened the race for the title, particularly with Anna Muzychuk and Bibisara Assaubayeva close behind at 6.5 points each, just half a point off the leaders.

With only two rounds remaining, Vaishali will now need strong results in the closing stages to maintain her title hopes.

Divya Deshmukh Falls to Bottom of Standings

It was also a disappointing day for Divya Deshmukh, who lost her Round 12 game to Tan Zhongyi.

The defeat dropped Divya into joint-last position alongside Tan, both players now sitting on **five points**. With the title race effectively out of reach, her remaining matches will be focused on finishing strongly and improving her final standing.

After the scheduled rest day, Vaishali is set to face Tan Zhongyi in the penultimate round, while Divya will take on Kateryna Lagno.

Women's Candidates Standings After Round 12

1. Zhu Jiner - 7
2. R Vaishali - 7
3. Anna Muzychuk - 6.5
4. Bibisara Assaubayeva - 6.5
5. Kateryna Lagno - 5.5
6. Aleksandra Goryachkina - 5.5
7. Divya Deshmukh - 5
8. Tan Zhongyi - 5

The standings highlight how closely contested the title race has become heading into the final rounds.

Praggnanandhaa Draws Again as Winless Run Continues

In the Open section, R Praggnanandhaa played out a draw against Andrey Esipenko in another technically demanding encounter.

Both players delivered highly accurate performances, with analysis indicating near 99 percent accuracy, reflecting the balanced nature of the contest. Despite the quality of play, the result extended Praggnanandhaa's winless streak in the tournament.

He now sits second from last in the standings with five points and will face Fabiano Caruana in the upcoming round - a match that offers an opportunity to break his run without a victory.

Sindarov Tightens Grip on Open Title

Elsewhere in the Open section, tournament leader Javokhir Sindarov continued his dominant run with a comfortable draw against Hikaru Nakamura.

Sindarov's result took him to nine points from 12 games, placing him firmly at the top of the standings and leaving him in a commanding position with just two rounds remaining.

On a day dominated by draws, the overall standings remained largely unchanged, reinforcing Sindarov's control over the competition.

Open Candidates Standings After Round 12

• Javokhir Sindarov - 9
• Anish Giri - 7
• Fabiano Caruana - 6
• Hikaru Nakamura - 5.5
• Wei Yi - 5.5
• Matthias Blübaum - 5.5
• R Praggnanandhaa - 5
• Andrey Esipenko - 4.5

What Lies Ahead in the Final Rounds

With just two rounds left, the Women's Candidates race has become increasingly unpredictable following Vaishali's defeat, setting up a tense finish at the top of the standings.

For Praggnanandhaa, the focus shifts toward ending his winless run and finishing the tournament on a positive note.

As the competition enters its decisive phase, every move will carry added weight - particularly in the Women's section, where the battle for the title remains wide open.