10 unknown photos of R. Vaishali

The whole world knows that Vaishali Rameshbabu won the FIDE Candidates 2026, and now she is going to play the World Championship match against reigning Women's World Chess Champion Ju Wenjun. The stories of the candidates and Vaishali's journey are all over the internet. But what if we bring you 10 unseen special photos of Vaishali's Career? Check out this short article with her photos and the backstory behind each one of them.

Javokhir Sindarov on preparing to face D Gukesh for the World title

The chess world is witnessing a generational shift. We are seeing new names emerge as contenders for the World title. After winning the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Uzbek star Javokhir Sindarov has emerged as the new challenger for the World Championship. In a recent interview after his victory, Sindarov reflected on his journey, key moments, and preparation. He also shared his thoughts on facing World Champion Gukesh in what promises to be a historic clash. Read the article to know more. Photo: Michal Walusza

Javokhir Sindarov's secret weapon - his coach IM Roman Vidonyak

Javokhir Sindarov had an incredible performance at the FIDE Candidates 2026. He won the tournament by a margin of 1.5 points over the field. While a lot of people have contributed towards Javokhir's success - one man takes the lion's share. His name IM Roman Vidonyak and he is the coach of Sindarov. The journey of Roman and Javokhir began in January 2025 and in the last 1 year and 4 months, they have managed to achieve something truly special. What are Roman's methods of training? We tried to understand from the man himself.

Vincent Keymer wins Grenke Freestyle 2026, Harika qualifies for FIDE Freestyle World Championship

Vincent Keymer drew his last game against Maxime Vachier Lagrave to win Grenke Freestyle 2026. Both players were co-leading the event going into the last round, and Vincent had a better tie-break score, which helped him win the title and spot in the Freestyle World Championship 2027. He scored 7.5/9 points, starting with an insane 6 wins in a row and drawing against Magnus Carlsen, Alexey Sarana, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the last 3 rounds. In the women’s standings, Harika Dronavalli, Alua Nurman, and Dinara Wagner secured 3 spots for the upcoming Freestyle World Championship 2027. It was a great event for Indian players as Aryan drew his last game against Carlsen to finish in the top 10 with Leon Mendonca. Photos: Abhyudaya Ram/Prajwal Bhat

The untold journey of R. Vaishali through the eyes of coach R.B. Ramesh

In the world of Indian chess, few stories are as cinematic as the rise of R. Vaishali. While the world watches her exploits, the man who has spent a decade molding her talent, GM R.B. Ramesh, provides an intimate look at the sacrifice, ethics, and the psychological sides of India’s newest Women’s World Championship Challenger, Vaishali R. Read the article to know more about not just the professional but also the personal side of this amazing champion.

Manika Kesavan clear first at 12th BBCF Below 1700 FIDE Rated 2026

Manika Kesavan scored an unbeaten 8/9 points to win the 12th BBCF Below 1700 International FIDE Rated Chess Tournament. Seven players, including Arun Lobo, Riddhish Khishore V, Santhosh T, Dhanvant Balachandran, Reshikeshava B, Murugan V, and Vasikaran G, scored 7.5/9 points to finish from 2nd to 8th place, respectively, according to the tiebreak scores. The total prize fund of this 3-day below-1700 FIDE-rated classical event was ₹6,00,000. The event was organized by the Brains Behind Chess Foundation at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai from 12th to 14th April 2026. Photos: Balaji S /Brains Behind Chess Foundation

How 200 families came together to raise Rs. 2.3 crore for 20 chess prodigies | Group e4

A dream costs nothing to have; but everything to chase! For so many young chess players in India, financial struggle has been the only thing standing between them and their dreams. In 2022, Viswanathan Anand and Satya Prabhakar decided to do something about it. They created Group e4 and till today, they have raised over Rs. 2.3 crore, supporting 20 young players. They contacted their friends and families, and that is how the funds started coming in. We spoke with Satya Prabhakar about the journey, the achievements, and the road ahead. Read the article to know Group e4's story.

Devansh Singh wins Khelo Chess India Classical FIDE Rating, Ahilan finished runner-up

The second edition of the Khelo Chess India FIDE Rating tournament, organized by ChessBase India, was successfully held in recent days at SAGE International School in Bhopal. Conducted from March 23 to March 31, the title was won by Devansh Singh, who scored 9 out of 9. Ahilan Roy from Chhattisgarh secured second place with 7.5 points, while Divyanshu Gupta finished third with 7 points and the best tiebreak score.

With the objective of promoting classical chess, this nine-day event was also broadcast live with the support of DGT. This was the 80th event of the Khelo Chess India initiative, and it is expected that this effort will complete 100 events this year. In this tournament, DGT, IVEI, and SAGE International School were our main partners.

Evan Telles receives Rs. 50,000 under the Gopal and Shilpa Ved Scholarship

8-year-old Evan Telles from Goa has won the Gopal and Shilpa Ved Scholarship. He is the youngest-rated player from Goa. He is also the first player from Goa to win Gold in a National Chess Championship. This scholarship, supported by donor Manan Ved for the second consecutive year, will help Evan access advanced coaching. His ultimate dream is to become one of the youngest Grandmasters in the country. Read the article to know more.

Romania Grand Prix 2026: Experience chess at its finest, in the heart of Europe!

Romania Grand Prix 2026 is a premier international chess circuit organized by the Romanian Chess Federation, bringing together elite players, world-class competition, and iconic destinations. The 5th edition features five open tournaments in five Romanian cities: Bucharest, Alba Iulia, Brasov, Arad, and Craiova. With participants from over 50 countries and a vibrant, competitive atmosphere, Romania Grand Prix stands as one of Europe’s most dynamic chess events. The Grand Prix Romania will take place with financial support from the Romanian Chess Federation and its partners, the Superbet Foundation and One United Properties.

FIDE Candidates 2026 R14: Vaishali creates history after defeating Lagno to win Women's Candidates 2026

Vaishali Rameshbabu defeated Kateryna Lagno in the final round of FIDE Women's Candidates 2026 to win the tournament. By winning the Candidates, Vaishali secured her spot in the World Championship match against the reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun. Going into the final round, Vaishali had a score of 7.5/13 points, the same as Bibisara Assaubayeva. Divya Deshmukh drew against Bibisara in a wild game, and Vaishali scored a huge win over Kateryna Lagno and was crowned the Champion. Vaishali played some incredible Chess throughout the tournament. She scored 5 wins, had 7 draws, and conceded only 2 losses. Vaishali scored 8.5/14 points to secure the title. Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga/ FIDE, Prajwal Bhat/ChessBase India

Soumya Swaminathan announces special online chess camp for differently-abled players

IM Soumya Swaminathan has announced a special online chess camp for differently-abled players. The camp will run from 27th to 30th April. Soumya was inspired to conduct this camp after attending the Super Heroes Cup in Pune. The camp will focus on middlegame decision-making. It is open to differently-abled players rated between 1600 and 2200. Read the article to know how you can register.

Zanas Nainys clear first at Bled Chess Festival 2026

FM Zanas Nainys (LTU) scored 7.5/9 to win Bled Chess Festival Under-2300 Rating Tournament 2026. He finished a half point ahead of the rest. 12-year-old Leonard Belyaletdinov (SLO) scored 7/9 to secure second place. IM Leon Mazi (SLO), FM Adam Dorrance (CAN) and FM Miha Furlan (SLO) scored 6.5/9 each. They were placed third, fourth and fifth according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund was €6000. The top three prizes were €1000, €700 and €400 each. Next year the festival will take place from 8th to 14th March 2027. Check out a huge report of the tournament and see if you cannot afford to miss the next edition. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

FIDE Candidates 2026 R13: Javokhir Sindarov crowned as Champion with a round to spare

Javokhir Sindarov has done it!! He won the FIDE Candidates 2026 with a round to spare. In the penultimate round, Sindarov drew against Anish Giri and won the event with a round to spare. By winning the tournament, Sindarov has earned the right to challenge D Gukesh for the World Championship. This will be the youngest World Championship match in history, with both players being around 20 years old. The average age of the clash will be 20 years and 9 months. The Women's section is set for an amazing final round, with Vaishali Rameshbabu and Bibisara Assaubayeva as joint leaders, while Zhu Jiner is in sole second place. On one side, we have a clear winner, Javokhir Sindarov, while on the other side, 5 players are still in a run for the title. Final round will start on 15th April at 15:45 Local Time/18:15 IST. Photos: Michal Walusza, Niki Riga/ FIDE

Wisdom School wins the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship (Asian Continental Stage), Velammal finishes third

Wisdom School of Uzbekistan scored a perfect 16/16 points to win the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship 2026 (Asian Continental Stage). No team came close to beating the Wisdom School. Kurchatov School of Russia scored 14/16 points to secure 2nd place in the event. Velammal MHS School scored 12/16 points to secure 3rd position. The tournament was organised at the Kazakhstan Hotel, Almaty, from 7th to 10th April, with the time control of 45 minutes with 10 seconds increment from move 1. Photos: International School Chess Federation