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Indian chess star GM R Vaishali has once again etched her name into the record books by defending her FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss title in 2025, sealing direct qualification for the prestigious Candidates 2026 tournament. The 24-year-old drew her final-round clash against China’s Tan Zhongyi to finish with 8 points from 11 rounds, enough to clinch the crown for a second consecutive year.With this victory, Vaishali has now become the third Indian woman to qualify for the 2026 Candidates, joining Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh. While Humpy and Divya booked their places through the FIDE Women’s World Cup earlier, Vaishali has done so by showcasing remarkable consistency on the Grand Swiss stage.Reflecting on her journey, Vaishali admitted that her path to this triumph was far from easy. “I had a tough tournament in Chennai Grand Masters. After Chennai, I decided against participating in the Grand Swiss. I lost seven games in a row, it was hard for me. In the last few weeks, I tried to change a lot of things. The Chennai Grand Masters results were too much for me to take. However, in a way, this Chennai experience is the reason I won the tournament,” she told ChessBase India after her final game.This will be Vaishali’s second appearance in the Women’s Candidates, confirming her rise as one of the most consistent performers on the world stage. Though she has yet to map out her competitive calendar, she hinted at taking time to plan carefully. “I’ve not planned any tournament yet. I will have to see what to do,” she added.Vaishali’s qualification ensures that India will have at least three strong representatives in the Candidates, a landmark moment for Indian women’s chess. For a nation that has long celebrated Viswanathan Anand’s impact on the sport, the emergence of Vaishali, Humpy, and Divya marks a new era of dominance in women’s chess.
