Candidates 2024: Vaishali beats Lei Tingjie in round 13 to grab fourth win in succession

FIDE Candidates 2024, Round 13: R. Vaishali beat Lei Tingjie with white pieces to grab her fourth win in a row.

India’s R. Vaishali (R) in action against China’s Lei Tingie in the round 13 of Candidates 2024. | Photo Credit: FIDE/Michał Walusza

India’s R. Vaishali continued her tremendous form and beat China’s Lei Tingjie in the round 13 clash of the FIDE Candidates 2024 at the Great Hall in Toronto, Canada on Sunday.

Vaishali notched up her fourth win in a trot after losing four games in a row.

Playing the Canal Attack variation of the Sicilian Defense, Vaishali got the better of her opponent in the opening.

HIGHLIGHTS | FIDE CANDIDATES 2024 ROUND 13

However, soon enough the initiative was gone as Tingjie neutralised the position paying with better accuracy in a time crunch.

The game remained equal until the 60th move when both players had already exchanged all pieces except queens in preparation for a queen’s endgame.

A miscalculated king to f7 and queen c1 gave Vaishali a decisive advantage, and the 22-year-old from Chennai exchanged queens after checking Tingjie and forcing her opponent to resign in an inferior position.

VAISHALI VS TINGJIE ROUND 13 MATCH