Archive · 10 Dec 2025
Four Indians to Compete in 2024 Candidates Tournament
Next year, four Indian chess players will compete in an important tournament called the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus.
This tournament will decide who gets to challenge the current world champions in chess.
Three women—Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, and R Vaishali—will compete in the women's section, while R Praggnanandhaa will be the only Indian in the men's section.
The tournament will take place from March 28 to April 16, 2024, at a hotel near Paphos.
The players qualified through different tournaments and wins.
This is the second time that siblings Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali will be in the Candidates together.
Four Indians—Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali, and R Praggnanandhaa—will compete in the 2024 Candidates Tournament in Cyprus.
The tournament will take place from 28 March to 16 April 2024 at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Paphos.
Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy qualified for the Women’s Candidates by securing a top-three finish in the Women’s World Cup.
R Vaishali qualified by winning the FIDE Grand Swiss for the second consecutive year.
R Praggnanandhaa is the only Indian in the Open Candidates, having won the 2025 FIDE Circuit.
- Who
- Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali, R Praggnanandhaa
- What
- Candidates Tournament to determine challengers for world chess championships
- When
- 28 March to 16 April 2024
- Where
- Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, Paphos, Cyprus
- Why
- To select challengers for D Gukesh (Open) and Ju Wenjun (Women’s) in world chess championships
- Participants
- Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali (Women’s Candidates); R Praggnanandhaa (Open Candidates)
- Location
- Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, Paphos, Cyprus
- Dates
- 28 March to 16 April 2024
- Purpose
- Determine challenger to D Gukesh (Open) and Ju Wenjun (Women’s)
- Qualification
- Divya and Humpy (top-three finish in Women’s World Cup); Vaishali (FIDE Grand Swiss winner); Praggnanandhaa (2025 FIDE Circuit winner)
