Divya Deshmukh

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DIVYA DESHMUKH NEWS

Divya Deshmukh pulled off a miracle in the Women’s Candidates tournament by upsetting tournament leader from Ukraine Anna Muzychuk. (FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Women's Day at Candidates: Divya Deshmukh and R Vaishali vault into joint lead as Pragg’s chances slim

April 08, 2026 12:10 am

Divya’s turnaround was a miracle for the youngster from Nagpur considering she had been under pressure from the start of the game with Muzychek coming up with some excellent opening prep.

It was the third round that came as a shocker for Pragg, where he was outplayed by his longtime childhood rival, Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan. (Photo Credit: Michal Walusza/FIDE)

Where do Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh stand after four rounds at the Candidates? A mixed bag so far

April 02, 2026 11:47 pm

Srinath isn't fully convinced of Pragg's chances. "It's far from hopeless. The Candidates rarely gets decided so early. But at the same time, the performance so far hasn't given the impression that Pragg is going to be an overwhelming favourite or dominate the field," he told The Indian Express.

FIDE Candidates: Russia's Aleksandra Goryachkina poses the biggest challenge to India's Divya Deshmukh and R Vaishali

March 29, 2026 10:17 am

If Divya Deshmukh can enter the Candidates with a free mind, she has the game to challenge some of the best players in the world

Divya Deshmukh’s journey to the upper echelons of chess bears a debt to the first true believer in her calibre

March 27, 2026 11:21 pm

Her childhood coach Rahul Joshi recognized her potential and pushed her towards perfection; she acknowledges his contribution despite his demise a few years ago