Vaishali triumphs @ FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026 Cyprus

April 16, 2026

Indian Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu (8.5) emerged the champion ahead of Kazakh GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (8.0) after the 14th round of the FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026 at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus…

Sindarov (9.5/13) wins Candidates 2026 with a round to spare @ Cyprus

April 15, 2026

Uzbek Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov with a stunning 9.5/13 score won the FIDE Candidates 2026 with a round to spare after the 13th round at Cyprus. In the women’s section, GMs Vaishali Rameshbabu (India) & Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan) led the table with 7.5 points…

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

April 13, 2026

GM Zhu Jiner & Vaishali Rameshbabu led the FIDE Women's Candidates 2026 while GM Javokhir Sindarov led the Open section after the 12th round at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, Cyprus...

GMs Zhu Jiner & Vaishali Rameshbabu led the FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026 while GM Javokhir Sindarov led the Open section after the 12th round at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, Cyprus…

Sindarov & Vaishali stay on top @ Cyprus

April 12, 2026

GMs Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan) and Vaishali Rameshbabu (India) led the FIDE Candidates 2026 after the 11th round at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus…

Aravindh downs Niemann, Anton scalps van Foreest @ Prague

Posted on February 27, 2026 BY R.R. Vasudevan

Defending champion GM Aravindh Chithambaram survived past GM Hans Moke Niemann in the second round of the Prague International Chess Festival 2026 organised by Novy Bor Chess Club at Hotel Don Giovanni, Prague. In another interesting game, GM David Anton Guijarro scored a flashy win over GM Jorden van Foreest.

Three Grandmasters viz., Nodirbek Yakubboev, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, David Navara shared the lead with 1.5 points from two rounds. Half a point behind at 1.0 point were world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, along with GMs David Anton Guijarro, Jorden van Foreest andAravindh Chithambaram.

In a short sizzling Kings Indian Defense game the Spanish Grandmaster David Anton Guijarro scalped former TATA Steel champion GM Jorden van Foreest in 27 moves. The Dutch star misplayed the middle game and paid a heavy price when the Spaniard wrested the chance that came his way. Jorden’s 20…h6?? was a huge give away as Anton ripped open black’s kingside with double knights. Caught up in a cross-fire black sank without a trace. The Sicilian and Kings Indian continue to be the razor sharp openings where one can go down crashing in no time.

A high energy Philidor middle game saw GM Niemann going all out for the kill against 2025 Prague Masters champion GM Aravindh Chithambaram. But the American Grandmaster missed a critical intervening check through 31. Ne7+ and found himself walking into a losing minor pieces ending. Aravindh grabbed the winning opportunity sewing up the game in 53 moves.

The games betwen Keymer vs Navara, Maghsoodloo vs Abdusattorov, Gukesh vs Yakubboev ended in draws. The 3rd round starts by Friday, 27th February at 9 AM ET / 3 PM CET / 7:30 PM IST.

Results (Round 2): David Anton Guijarro (1.0) beat Jorden van Foreest (1.0), Hans Moke Niemann (0.5) lost to V R Aravindh Chithambaram (1.0), Vincent Keymer (0.5) drew with David Navara (1.5), Parham Maghsoodloo (0.5) drew with Nodirbek Abdusattorov (1.5), Gukesh Dommaraju (1.0) drew with Nodirbek Yakubboev (1.5).

Hans Moke Niemann (2725) – V R Aravindh Chithambaram (2700) 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 exd4 8. Nxd4 Ne5 9. Bf1 Re8 10. Bf4 Ng6 11. Bg3 Bf8 12. h3 a6 13. a4 b6 14. Nc6 Qd7 15. Nb4 c6 16. Nd3 Bb7 17. Nf4 b5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Rxa8 Bxa8 20. Nd3 h6 21. b4 Qa7 22. Qa1 Qb6 23. e5 dxe5 24. Nxe5 Bxb4 25. Nxg6 Rxe1 26. Qxe1 Qc5 27. Qa1 Bb7 28. Nb1 Ne4 29. c3 Bxc3 30. Nxc3 Nxg3

31. Bd3?? (GM Niemann misses win. 31. Ne7+ Qxe7 32. fxg3 Qe5 33. Kh2 h5 34. Qa5 Qf6 35. be2 h4 36.Ne4 hxg3+ 37. Nxg3) 31…fxg6 32. Qa2+ Kh7 33. Qe6 Nf5 34. g4 Nh4 35. Ne2 Qe5 36. Qxe5 Nf3+ 37. Kg2 Nxe5 38. Be4 b4 39. Nc1 Nf7 40. Nb3 Ng5 41. Bd3 c5+ 42. Kg3 Ne4+ 43. Bxe4 Bxe4 44. Nxc5 Bd5 45. f4 b3 46. Na4 Bc6 47. Nb2 Kg8 48. Kf2 Kf7 49. Ke3 Ke6 50. Kd4 Bg2 51. Nd3 Bxh3 52. Nc5+ Kf6 53. g5+ Kf5 0-1

David Anton Guijarro (2666) – Jorden van Foreest (2705) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. h3 e5 6. d5 a5 7. Nf3 Na6 8. Bd3 O-O 9. O-O Nd7 10. a3 Nac5 11. Bc2 f5 12. Bg5 Qe8 13. Nb5 Na6 14. exf5 gxf5 15. Nh4 e4 16. Qe2 Ne5 17. Rad1 Bd7 18. b3 Rc8 19. f4 Nf7 20. Nd4 h6 21. Nhxf5 hxg5 22. Nxg7 Kxg7 23. Ne6+ Bxe6 24. Qxe4 Bf5 25. Qxf5 Qe3+ 26. Kh1 Rh8