The Candidates race heats up again

Round 9 of the FIDE Candidates Tournament brought results that reignited the battle at the top. The key moment of the day came when tournament leader Javokhir Sindarov failed to convert a very clear winning chance against Matthias Bluebaum. As that game ended in a draw, Anish Giri seized the moment by defeating Fabiano Caruana with the black pieces, cutting into the lead. With five rounds remaining, Sindarov still stands in first place on 7 points, but Giri’s rise to 5.5 has clearly increased the intensity of the race.

Giri’s win over Caruana was significant not only in the standings but also in terms of psychological momentum. Victories with Black at elite events such as the Candidates tend to carry extra weight, especially in a tournament where the margin for error is extremely small. Caruana, stuck on 4.5 points, now finds himself further from the lead, while Bluebaum, Nakamura, Praggnanandhaa and Wei Yi are all grouped on 4 points, showing that the chasing pack remains very much in contention. In the other games, Hikaru Nakamura drew with Andrey Esipenko, and Praggnanandhaa R split the point with Wei Yi.

Sindarov’s missed opportunity adds another layer of intrigue to the remainder of the event. The young grandmaster still holds a comfortable-looking edge, but in a long and demanding competition like the Candidates, positions that should yield a full point but end as draws can create real pressure later on. That is especially true when direct rivals begin to build momentum. In the final five rounds, opening preparation alone will not be enough; time management, composure, and technical endgame play are likely to be decisive.

Shared lead in the Women’s Candidates

In the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, Round 9 left two players tied for first: Vaishali Rameshbabu and Zhu Jiner. Vaishali defeated Divya Deshmukh, while Zhu overcame Kateryna Lagno, bringing both players to 5.5/9. Another major talking point was Anna Muzychuk, who was unable to convert a highly promising endgame against Tan Zhongyi. The draw left Muzychuk on 5 points, half a point behind the leaders.

The women’s event looks every bit as competitive as the open section. Deshmukh and Lagno remain within striking distance on 4.5 points, while Assaubayeva and Goryachkina sit on 4. Tan Zhongyi, despite being on 3 points, has the experience to influence the standings in the remaining rounds. From this point on, in both the open and women’s tournaments, even a single result could reshape the leaderboard dramatically; every half-point now carries almost the value of a win.