R Vaishali's journey: From twilight zone to Swiss sunrise
After a devastating performance at the Chennai Grand Masters, Grandmaster R Vaishali contemplated withdrawing from the FIDE Grand Swiss. Encouraged by her brother, GM R Praggnanandhaa, and GM Karthikeyan Murali, she participated without preparation. Surprisingly, Vaishali defended her Grand Swiss title in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and secured a spot in the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates tournament.
After a devastating performance at the Chennai Grand Masters, Grandmaster R Vaishali contemplated withdrawing from the FIDE Grand Swiss. Encouraged by her brother, GM R Praggnanandhaa, and GM Karthikeyan Murali, she participated without preparation. Surprisingly, Vaishali defended her Grand Swiss title in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and secured a spot in the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates tournament.
