Vaishali and Divya lose as Praggnanandhaa draws in Candidates 2026 round 12

Vaishali’s defeat flips her from sole lead to joint top

In Round 12 of the FIDE Candidates 2026, India’s Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh suffered defeats, shaking up the standings. Vaishali’s loss was especially costly, ending her sole leadership and dropping her into a joint top position. Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa managed a hard-fought draw, keeping his campaign alive as the tournament tightens.