New Delhi, April 13 -- R Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh both suffered defeats, while R Praggnanandhaa settled for a draw in Round 12 at the 2026 FIDE Candidates on Sunday.

Vaishali's loss proved particularly costly, as she slipped from sole leadership into a joint top position in the Women's Candidates alongside Zhu Jiner, with both now on seven points. The result has set up a gripping finish to the tournament, as per ESPN.

Vaishali lost to China's Zhu with white pieces after a blunder in what was a tricky and crucial game, especially since it would have a bearing on who the women's champion would be. That Vaishali lost to a player who drew level with her on points can prove to be a big blow with only two more rounds to go in the tournamen...