Deshmukh Misses Win vs Vaishali in Candidates Round 2

The Setup

The second round of the 2026 FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament featured an all-Indian clash between GM Divya Deshmukh (2497) and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu (2470). Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand made the ceremonial first move, playing 1.c4 — the exact opening Deshmukh would choose moments later.

Both players entered this Queen's Gambit Declined with solid preparation. Deshmukh, making her Candidates debut after dominating the 2025 Women's World Cup, faced Vaishali, who has been steadily climbing the world rankings. The opening followed standard lines with 1.c4 e6, leading into the Queen's Knight Variation of the QGD.

A Quiet Battle

For most of the game, neither player gained a significant advantage. The position remained balanced through the middlegame, with both sides maneuvering carefully around the time control. Deshmukh maintained slight pressure with her space advantage, while Vaishali defended accurately.

The critical moment arrived on move 37, when Deshmukh had a choice between two queen moves. She played 37.Qg3?, missing the spectacular 37.Qg4! which would have forced a queen exchange and left White with a winning extra pawn in the endgame. "I was not sure what to do after 37.Qg4: I thought my position was very bad," Vaishali admitted after the game.

The Tactical Escape

Vaishali seized her chance with 37...Rxc5, leading to a sharp sequence: 38.Qe5+ Kh7 39.Rb8 Rc1+ 40.Kh2. White appeared to be winning — the black queen was under attack and mate on h8 loomed.

But Vaishali had calculated deeper. She unleashed 40...Qxh3+!!, a brilliant queen sacrifice that Deshmukh had overlooked. After 41.gxh3 Nf3+, Black regained the queen with a fork and reached a comfortable rook endgame.

The tactical sequence perfectly demonstrated the razor-thin margins at the Candidates level. One inaccurate move by Deshmukh, followed by precise calculation from Vaishali, completely transformed the evaluation.

The Aftermath

The game ended in a draw, keeping all eight players tied at 1/2 point after two rounds. "I'm hoping that my luck comes back to me!" was Deshmukh's verdict on missing the winning continuation.

This encounter showcased the depth of preparation and tactical awareness required at the highest level of women's chess. At ChessFlow, games like this — where a single move can shift from winning to drawing — make for compelling wall art that captures chess's dramatic moments.