Nail-Biting Finish: Divya Deshmukh’s Near Miss Against Vaishali in Women’s Candidates Chess Tournament

Divya Deshmukh’s Near Miss in Women’s Candidates Chess Tournament

NAGPUR: In a thrilling showdown at the Women’s Candidates chess tournament in Cyprus, Indian Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh faced off against compatriot R Vaishali in a match that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. With just four seconds left on the clock, Divya executed a brilliant move, but a critical oversight in the second round cost her a potential victory.

The match was the highlight of a day where 12 of the 16 candidates opted for a cautious approach, resulting in six draws across two sections. In the women’s division, all four games ended in stalemates for the second consecutive day, but the clash between Divya and Vaishali provided a spark of excitement.

Divya initially held the advantage after Vaishali’s 34th move, which shifted the computer evaluation from 0.15 to 2.47 in her favor. However, the tide turned when Divya missed a key queen-exchanging opportunity on the 37th turn, allowing Vaishali to equalize. The two players ultimately settled for a draw after four more moves, each left with a rook and five pawns.

Reflecting on the match, Divya admitted, “I had seen Vaishali’s queen exchange in advance (40…Qxh3!), but simply missed the winning alternative.” The tension was palpable as both players navigated through a complex endgame, with Vaishali’s rook on a1 effectively controlling Divya’s passed pawn.

In the Open section, Indian co-leader R Praggnanandhaa faced a challenging match against higher-ranked Chinese GM Wei Yi. Despite having control over the clock and an extra pawn, Praggnanandhaa, playing with the black pieces, was unable to convert his advantage and ultimately agreed to a draw after 46 moves.

Earlier in the day, several matches featured the Petrov’s Defence, including a repeat of the 2017 World Championship match where former women’s champion Tan Zhongyi of China played to a 32-move draw against Ukraine’s GM Anna Muzychuk. Reigning World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov also struggled to capitalize on his opening advantage, leading to a three-fold rook repetition and a draw after 42 moves.

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on the Indian players, whose performances continue to captivate chess enthusiasts worldwide. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting competition.