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 8 · 7 Apr 2026

Muzychuk — Divya Deshmukh

The Matchup

White
Anna MuzychukCredit
🇺🇦UKR
1st · 4.5

Anna Muzychuk

2577 Performance

Last 5 games½W½W½
World#8FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2522Age36

Former women's world champion and a perennial Candidates presence, combining creative complications with elite rapid instincts built over two decades at the top.

Games in this event →
0–1Black wins
Black
Divya DeshmukhCredit
🇮🇳IND
3rd · 3.5

Divya Deshmukh

2523 Performance · 1 behind leader

Last 5 games½L½W½
World#12FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2497Age20

India's Women's World Cup champion and fast-rising grandmaster, pairing fearless opening ambition with the tactical nerve to challenge the world's best.

Games in this event →

Head to head

Previous games in this event

Round 1: 1/2-1/2 · Scotch Game: Mieses Variation. 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

Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind
BlackDeshmukhIND2505
WhiteMuzychukUKR2522
+1
B
+1.3W

Classical factors on this position

Hover to preview on the board · click to keep selected and read details.

Select a category to see details.

Checks, captures, and threats for the side to move

Hover to preview on the board · click to keep selected and read details.

Select a category to see details.

The Moves

Other lines considered

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

Tempting traps

axb5a4b5
+1.6448%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD48% would play this move

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

What changed

Attacking

Immediate impact

Critical reply

axb5!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses material

White gets the main benefit, but black's king faces more checks and king-zone pressure.

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Qg4+f4g4
+2.9520%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD20% would play this move

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

What changed

Attacking
Defending
Board structure

Immediate impact

Rook on e1 uses the semi_open e-file

Critical reply

Kh8Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses piece activity

White has holes on a2, a3, b2, c2
R1e4e1e4
+1.248%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD8% would play this move

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

What changed

Threatening

Immediate impact

Rook on c7 uses the semi_open c-file

Critical reply

bxc4!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses the b3 pawn

White gets the main benefit, but black's king faces more checks and king-zone pressure.