Zhu Jiner joins Vaishali in lead, Sindarov 9/12 @ Cyprus

Top seed Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner defeated GM Vaishali Rameshbabu joining the Indian in lead after the 12th round of the FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026 at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus. With two crucial rounds to go, two time FIDE Grand Swiss winner GM Vaishali Rameshbabu shares the lead with GM Zhu Jiner at 7.0 points. Closely following the leaders were GMs Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) and Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan) at 6.5 points. In the Open section, GM Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan) leads with 9.0 points, followed by GM Anish Giri (Netherlands) at 7.0 points. While GM Anish Giri has a frail chance to upset the apple-cart of GM Javokhir Sindarov, the rest play for pride and rating.

The ceremonial first move inaugurating the 12th round was performed by Mr. Manish, High Commissioner of India for Cyprus, who opened the game for GM Vaishali Rameshbabu against GM Zhu Jiner.

In the game of the day, GM Zhu Jiner landed an all important win against tournament leader GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. In the process, Zhu caught up with Vaishali at 7.0 points and has once again thrown wide open the title race. The Caro-Kann Defense Advance Variation between GMs Vaishali and Zhu, always remained on knife’s edge until the Indian made the fatal choice 36. Nc1?? that let her down. By then Vaishali barely had about 36 seconds on her clock to make the final 4 moves to touch the mandatory 40 moves. Time management will be crucial for the Chennai girl to ascend the top of the podium in the next three days.

Also keeping themselves in the race were GMs Anna Muzychuk and Bibisara Assaubayeva at 6.5 points. The 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates is too close to call with all permutations and combinations still possible.

In the Open section, things were much quieter except for the game between GMs Wei Yi and Anish Giri where the Dutchman came agonizingly close to winning before settling for a draw. Also drawn were the games between GMs Andrey Esipenko vs Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Matthias Bluebaum vs Fabiano Caruana, Javokhir Sindarov vs Hikaru Nakamura. The final rest day will be a time for reflection for all the Candidates except GMs Javokhir Sindarov and Anish Giri both of whom would burn the midnight oil to secure a favorable result.

Similar to every Candidates Tournament since 2013, this event will be a 8 player double round-robin tournament. The winner of the Candidates 2026 tournament will earn the right to play the next FIDE World Chess Championship against the reigning World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju. The winner of the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates tournament will earn the right to challenge Women’s world champion Ju Wenjun.

After a final rest day, the 13th round starts by Tuesday, 14th April at 8:45 AM ET / 2:45 PM CEST / 6:15 PM IST.

Round 12 Results (Open): Andrey Esipenko (4.5) drew with Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (5.0), Matthias Bluebaum (5.5) drew with Fabiano Caruana (6.0), Javokhir Sindarov (9.0) drew with Hikaru Nakamura (5.5), Wei Yi (5.5) drew with Anish Giri (7.0).

Round 12 Results (Women): Anna Muzychuk (6.5) drew with Aleksandra Goryachkina (5.5), Vaishali Rameshbabu (7.0) lost to Zhu Jiner (7.0), Divya Deshmukh (5.0) lost to Tan Zhongyi (5.0), Bibisara Assaubayeva (6.5) beat Kateryna Lagno (5.5).

Wei Yi (2754) – Anish Giri (2753) 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 O-O 5. f4 exf4 6. Bxf4 c6 7. d4 Bb4 8. Ne2 Nxe4 9. O-O d5 10. Nxe4 dxc4 11. c3 Be7 12. N2g3 Na6 13. Qe2 Nc7 14. Qxc4 Nd5 15. Bd2 a5 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. Rxf5 g6 18. Rf3 f5 19. Nc5 b5 20. Qf1 Bxc5 21. dxc5 a4 22. c4 bxc4 23. Qxc4 Re8 24. Re3 Rxe3 25. Bxe3 Rb8 26. Bh6 Qf6 27. Rd1 g5 28. Rxd5 cxd5 29. Qxd5+ Qf7 30. Qd2 f4 31. c6 Qa7+ 32. Kh1

32…Qc5?? (32…Qe3! 33. Qd5+ Kh8 34. Qd1 Re8 35. h3 f3 36. gxf3 Qe1+ 37. Qxe1 Rxe1 38. Kg2 Re2+ 39. Kg3 Rxb2 wins) 33. c7 Re8 34. h3 Qxc7 35. Bxg5 f3 36. gxf3 Qc4 37. Kg1 Qxa2 38. Kf2 Qe6 39. h4 Rb8 40. Bf4 Qb6+ 41. Kg3 Rd8 42. Qe2 Qc6 43. h5 Kf7? 44. Qe5 Qd5 45. Qc7+ Rd7 46. Qc2 Qxh5 47. Qc4+ Kf8 48. Qb4+ Kg8 49. Qc4+ Rf7 50. Qc8+ Rf8 51. Qc4+ Qf7 52. Qxa4 Qg6+ 53. Kh2 h6 54. Qb3+? Kh7 55. Bg3 Rg8 56. Qb7+ Rg7 57. Qb8 Qc2+ 58. Kh3 Qf5+ 59. Kg2 Qc2+ 60. Kh3 Qd1 61. Qf4 Qh1+ 62. Bh2 Qf1+ 63. Kh4 Qe1+ 64. Bg3 Qh1+ 65. Bh2 Qb1 66. Bg3 Re7 67. b4 Qh1+ 68. Bh2 Qe1+ 69. Bg3 Qb1 70. Kh3 Qf1+ 71. Kh4 Qb5 72. Kh3 Qd5 73. Kg2 Re2+ 74. Bf2 Re7 75. Bg3 Qa2+ 76. Kh3 Qd5 77. Kg2 1/2-1/2

Vaishali Rameshbabu (2470) – Zhu Jiner (2578) 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Bd3 Bxd3 5. cxd3 e6 6. Nc3 Ne7 7. Nf3 h6 8. h4 Nd7 9. Ne2 b6 10. Bd2 c5 11. Rc1 Nc6 12. h5 Qc8 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Qa4 Qb7 15. O-O Rb8 16. Rc2 a6 17. Qf4 Qb5 18. Nc1 Rg8 19. b3 g5 20. hxg6 Rxg6 21. d4 Be7 22. Be3 c4 23. bxc4 dxc4 24. Ne2 Nb4 25. Rb2 Qc6 26. Rfb1 Rb5 27. d5 Nxd5 28. Qe4 Qb7 29. Bd4 h5 30. Kh1 Rg4 31. Qh7 h4 32. Qh5 Rg6 33. Qh8+ Nf8 34. a4 Rb3 35. Rxb3 cxb3 36. Nc1?? h3 37. Nxb3 hxg2+ 38. Kh2 g1=Q+ 39. Nxg1

39…Nc3 0-1

Picture & Graphics courtesy: Michal Walusza / Yoav Nis / Niki Riga / FIDE

Event photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fide/

LIVE Broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Official Site: https://candidates2026.fide.com/