Elite chess explained, move by move
Dates
28 Mar — 16 Apr 2026
Location
Paphos, CY
Field
8 players
Format
Double round-robin
Time control
Classical
Rounds
14 · 14 played
Decisive
46%
Avg. rating
2520

Round 11 · 11 Apr 2026

GoryachkinaVaishali

The Matchup

White
🇫🇯FID
3rd · 5.0

Aleksandra Goryachkina

2515 Performance · 1 behind leader

Last 5 games½½L½W
World#7FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2534Age27

Two-time Candidates finalist and former women's world championship challenger, prized for deep preparation, relentless endgame technique, and grinding classical pressure.

Games in this event →
0–1Black wins
Black
🇮🇳IND
1st · 6.0

Rameshbabu Vaishali

2562 Performance

Last 5 gamesWW½W½
World#18FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2470Age24

India's 2026 Candidates winner and Praggnanandhaa's elder sister, combining sharp calculation with resolute classical play when the title path is on the line.

Games in this event →

Head to head

Previous games in this event

Round 4: 1/2-1/2 · Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening. Read the annotated game →

Classical over-the-board (indexed)

Lifetime FIDE classical score unavailable (missing FIDE ID or cache not warmed).

Scroll to see the game

Key Moments


Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation
BlackVaishaliIND2470
WhiteGoryachkinaFID2534
B
-3.0W

Classical factors on this position

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Checks, captures, and threats for the side to move

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The Moves

Other lines considered

From the crossroads before this move — engine and player perspectives.

Tempting traps

e4e3e4
-2.2233%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD33% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Attacking
Board structure
Be6Critical

Allows concrete threats

White king is more exposedBe6 is active
Bf3e2f3
-2.0914%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD14% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Attacking
Skewers the bishop on d5 with the pawn behind on b7
Threatening
Be6Critical

Allows concrete threats

White controls d4, e4, d5, e5Open file near the Black king: d

Hard to spot

a4a3a4
-0.320%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD0% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Threatening
Kf2g1f2
-0.5612%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD12% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Threatening
Nc4d2c4
-0.6312%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD12% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Threatening