The Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus has been a challenging experience for Indian chess players R Praggnanandhaa, R Vaishali, and Divya Deshmukh. Praggnanandhaa, who started strong with a win against Anish Giri, now sits fourth with 2 points after a shocking loss to Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan, who currently leads the tournament. Vaishali, on the other hand, has displayed solid defensive skills, remaining unbeaten with 2 points but struggling with time management in some games. Divya Deshmukh has faced difficulties, managing only 1.5 points after a disappointing loss to Zhu Jiner. The women's section remains competitive, with Bibisara Assaubayeva and Anna Muzychuk jointly leading with 2.5 points each. Experts suggest that the long tournament could see shifts in momentum, allowing for potential comebacks.