Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Holds Steady Lead at FIDE Candidates

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa secured a significant draw against China's Wei Yi in the FIDE Candidates tournament, holding his joint lead with 1.5 points after the second round. Following an impressive opening round victory against Anish Giri, Praggnanandhaa managed to exert pressure through a French defense game.

Wei Yi opted against a complex battle, leading to a balanced outcome with opposite-colored Bishops in the endgame. Although Praggnanandhaa had an extra pawn, he could not breach Wei Yi's solid stance, resulting in a draw after 46 moves. Meanwhile, other matches of the second round concluded peacefully despite a lively opening day with three decisive outcomes.

In the simultaneous women's section, Divya Deshmukh missed the solo lead after blundering in a favorable position against fellow Indian R Vaishali. Despite spotting a tactical opportunity, Divya miscued, allowing Vaishali to escape with a queen sacrifice counter. As such, the women's section remains winless after the second round.