Praggnanandhaa Stumbles, Divya Deshmukh Survives: Candidates Round 3

Top Summary

• What happened: R Praggnanandhaa suffered a defeat to Javokhir Sindarov, while Divya Deshmukh secured a miraculous draw against Aleksandra Goryachkina.
• Why it matters: Praggnanandhaa's loss shakes up the Open section, while Deshmukh's draw keeps her chances alive in the Women's section.
• What changes for people: The leaderboard in both sections sees shifts, with Caruana and Sindarov leading the Open and Bibisara and Lagno leading the Women's.
• Who is affected: Indian chess fans closely following Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh and Vaishali Rameshbabu at the Candidates Tournament.

Praggnanandhaa's Uncharacteristic Loss

R Praggnanandhaa, known for his aggressive style, suffered a defeat against Javokhir Sindarov in Round 3 of the Candidates Tournament. His surprising choice of opening with the Queen’s Pawn (1. d4), instead of his usual King's Pawn (1. e4), proved to be a misstep.

Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay commented on Praggnanandhaa's decision:

"Praggnanandhaa is a very strong attacking player, and the King's Pawn suits him better."

 

Sindarov, playing with black, capitalized on Praggnanandhaa's discomfort and dictated the game. Praggnanandhaa resigned on move 40, allowing Sindarov to join Fabiano Caruana at the top with 2.5/3 points.

Caruana's Quick Victory

Fabiano Caruana had the shortest game of the tournament, capitalizing on a blunder by Wei Yi. Wei Yi resigned on move 19 after trapping his bishop.

Divya Deshmukh's Miracle Save

Divya Deshmukh faced a tough challenge against Aleksandra Goryachkina in the Women’s section. For most of the game, Deshmukh was on the defensive, battling Goryachkina’s strong positional lead.

Thipsay described her draw as a "miracle". Goryachkina blundered on move 64 (64.Ra6), losing her advantage. The game ended in a draw after 81 moves, allowing Deshmukh to keep her tournament hopes alive.

"Goryachkina made a decisive error moving the rook from a7 to a6, and the game headed toward a draw," Thipsay explained.

Other Results from Round 3

The Women’s section saw other decisive results. Bibisara Assaubayeva defeated Zhu Jiner, and Kateryna Lagno defeated Tan Zhongyi. Vaishali Rameshbabu drew against Anna Muzychuk.

• Matthias Blübaum drew with Andrey Esipenko
• Hikaru Nakamura drew with Anish Giri

Round 4 Pairings (April 1, 2026)

Here are the pairings for Round 4:

• Open Section: Esipenko vs Giri, Wei Yi vs Nakamura, Sindarov vs Caruana, Blübaum vs Praggnanandhaa.
• Women’s Section: Muzychuk vs Lagno, Assaubayeva vs Tan Zhongyi, Divya vs Zhu Jiner, Vaishali vs Goryachkina

What to Watch Next

In Round 4, Praggnanandhaa will need to rebound against Matthias Blübaum, while Divya and Vaishali aim to convert their draws into victories. The crucial match between Sindarov and Caruana will also be one to watch as they battle for the lead.