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R Praggnanandhaa leads India in a star studded Candidates as Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Anish Giri and others chase a title shot against D Gukesh.
R Praggnanandhaa. (Picture credit: X @rpraggnachess)
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, India’s sole representative in the Open section of the eight-player elite field, faces a demanding challenge as the Candidates Tournament gets underway as Divya Deshmukh and R Vaishali lead the charge after Koneru Humpy withdrew.
The action gets underway on March 29 (Sunday).
Why Candidates Matters?
The event, which over the course of a fortnight will determine the challenger to reigning world champion D Gukesh in this year’s World Championship match, will feature eight players competing in a double round-robin format.
What Is The Format?
Each player will face every other participant twice, and the one with the highest total points will earn the right to compete for the world title.
Who Is The Favourites In Open Category?
On recent form, American GM Fabiano Caruana appears to be the favourite, ahead of compatriot Hikaru Nakamura, who qualified by rating. Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri has also been in strong form and is one to watch; if he builds momentum, he will be a formidable contender.
Wei Yi of China, Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan, Andrey Esipenko, and Matthias Bluebaum are the other four players in what is expected to be one of the most keenly contested and widely followed tournaments of the year.
For Praggnanandhaa, the lead-up to the Candidates has not been entirely smooth. However, the Indian should feel refreshed after a well-deserved long break. Since the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in February, the young Grandmaster has not played any competitive chess, instead focusing on preparation for this event with his team.
After an impressive 2025, in which he qualified for the Candidates by finishing as the top performer on the FIDE circuit, the latter part of the year saw an unusual dip in Praggnanandhaa’s form, a trend that continued into the Tata Steel Masters earlier this year.
The Indian will be hoping to turn the tide and make things unfold according to his plans.
The dark horse of the event is the youngest participant, Sindarov, who surprised everyone by winning the Chess World Cup in Goa late last year. Sindarov possesses both the acumen and the fighting spirit to go the distance, and although this is his first Candidates appearance, the Uzbek will be raring to go.
Wei Yi can be tricky, but much will depend on how many games he manages to win. Along with Giri, the Chinese Grandmaster is a great defender and known for his solidity. Esipenko may not be regarded as a major favourite in this field, but he remains a dangerous opponent on his day. Meanwhile, the lowest-ranked participant, Bluebaum, is clearly the outsider, though he has been a consistent performer.
Who Are the Participants In Women’s Category?
In the women’s section, former women’s world champion Tan Zhongyi of China appears to have an edge over the rest, but this field could prove equally unpredictable.
Following the withdrawal of two-time world rapid champion Koneru Humpy due to security concerns, Anna Muzychuk — last year’s Norway Chess winner — has replaced the Indian. However, all eyes will be on Divya Deshmukh, who won the Women’s World Cup in 2025.
R Vaishali is the other Indian in the fray, and she is known as a fearless warrior who craves only victories.
Zhu Jiner is another player to watch, as she has a reputation for troubling even the very best. Bibisara Assaubayeva has also established herself as a fierce competitor.
The two remaining Russian flag-bearers, the seasoned Kateryna Lagno and Alexandra Goryachkina, are both capable of winning this event if their past results are any indication.
Indian Players Schedule At Candidates Tournament 2026:
| Date | Round | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 29 | Round 1 | R Praggnanandha vs Anish Giri | Divya Deshmukh vs Anna Muzychuk | Vaishali R vs Bibisara Assaubayeva |
| March 30 | Round 2 | Wei Yi vs Praggnanandhaa | Divya vs Vaishali | – |
| March 31 | Round 3 | Praggnanandhaa vs Javokhir Sindarov | Vaishali vs Muzychuk | Aleksandra Goryachkina vs Divya |
| April 1 | Round 4 | Matthias Blubaum vs Praggnanandhaa | Divya vs Zhu Jiner | Vaishali vs Goryachkina |
| April 2 | – | Rest Day | – | – |
| April 3 | Round 5 | Praggnanandhaa vs Andrey Esipenko | Zhu Jiner vs Vaishali | Tan Zhongyi vs Divya |
| April 4 | Round 6 | Hikaru Nakamura vs Praggnanandhaa | Kateryna Lagno vs Vaishali | Assaubayeva vs Divya |
| April 5 | Round 7 | Praggnanandhaa vs Fabiano Caruana | Divya vs Lagno | Vaishali vs Tan Zhongyi |
| April 6 | – | Rest Day | – | – |
| April 7 | Round 8 | Giri vs Praggnanandhaa | Muzychuk vs Divya | Assaubayeva vs Vaishali |
| April 8 | Round 9 | Praggnanandhaa vs Wei Yi | Vaishali vs Divya | – |
| April 9 | Round 10 | Sindarov vs Praggnanandhaa | Muzychuk vs Vaishali | Divya vs Goryachkina |
| April 10 | – | Rest Day | – | – |
| April 11 | Round 11 | Praggnanandhaa vs Blubaum | Zhu Jiner vs Divya | Goryachkina vs Vaishali |
| April 12 | Round 12 | Esipenko vs Praggnanandhaa | Vaishali vs Zhu Jiner | Divya vs Tan Zhongyi |
| April 13 | – | Rest Day | – | – |
| April 14 | Round 13 | Caruana vs Praggnanandhaa | Lagno vs Divya | Tan Zhongyi vs Vaishali |
| April 15 | Round 14 | Praggnanandhaa vs Nakamura | Vaishali vs Lagno | Divya vs Assaubayeva |
| April 16 | – | Tiebreaks (if required) | Tiebreaks (if required) | Tiebreaks (if required) |
What Is The Pize Pool?
The event carries a total prize pool of USD 1 million (Rs 9.49 crore), with USD 700,000 (Rs 6.65 crore) allocated to the Open section and USD 300,000 (Rs 2.85 crore) to the women’s section. The opening ceremony will be held later on Saturday, with the first round scheduled for Sunday.
(With inputs from Agencies)
March 28, 2026, 11:14 IST
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