Women’s Candidates Round 2: Lagno and Vaishali’s Close Calls as All Games End in Draws

Round two of the Women’s Candidates tournament was once again characterized by a pattern of missed opportunities, as all four matchups concluded without a decisive winner, ending in draws. Zhu Jiner established a clearly superior position against Kateryna Lagno but ultimately failed to capitalize on her advantage, allowing Lagno to secure a draw through a perpetual check. A similar scenario unfolded in the highly anticipated all-Indian encounter, where Divya Deshmukh initially gained an upper hand. However, she let her advantage slip away after overlooking a key tactical resource employed by Vaishali Rameshbabu, resulting in another drawn game. These outcomes underscore the intense pressure and the fine margins at play in elite-level chess, where converting even significant advantages can prove challenging.