India, April 6 -- R Vaishali must really start to believe her luck in this Candidates tournament. It's seen the 24-year-old Indian survive bad positions miraculously. On Sunday, in a game where she had been suffering for most part, she was gifted an unexpected win.

Tan Zhongyi sat there, hands to her head, stewing in agony. The former women's world champion and winner of the 2024 Women's Candidates tournament was up on time, up a pawn, and with a winning position when she rushed in with an inexplicable 37. Ra1?? after little over a minute's thought.

It had her walking right into a landmine double attack. A one-move blunder from which there was no way back. Vaishali, who perhaps could scarcely believe the position she had been gifted, wa...