Vaishali Wins Candidates, Eyes Women's World Chess Crown for India

Indian chess has spent the last two years rewriting what is possible, and the latest name to do it is Vaishali Rameshbabu.

The tournament ran from late March to mid-April 2026 at the Cap St Georges resort in Pegeia, on Cyprus's western coast.

Vaishali did not lead from the front.

It was a finish that rewarded nerve.

From a brutal 2025 to the top of the field