NEW DELHI: The cold war of chess reached a freezing point in Round 4 of Women Candidates 2026, as Ukraine’s Anna Mozychak and Russia’s Kateryna Ligno defied the traditional decorum of the game. There was no handshake at the start, no acknowledgment at the end, and the two players left in silence, a clear reflection of the geopolitical tensions that have gripped international chess.On board, the competition was a high-level battle for position. Muzychuk navigated the tactical intricacies to dismantle Lagno’s defenses in just 31 moves to secure a decisive victory.
“I chose this line to avoid some solid variations,” Muzychuk explained after the game, noting his strategy of drawing Lagno into low-chart territory.The game turned on a crucial mistake at move 28. Ligno, who had defended resourcefully under great pressure, failed when Mozychak sacrificed a piece and a rising move for two pawns. Although Ligno could have chosen a queen exchange to enter a difficult but defensible endgame, he chose to proceed with 28…exd4.See: The decision proved fatal. Muzychuk responded with 29.Qxd4, launching a decisive attack that forced a check after just three moves.The win moved Mozichak to the top of the leaderboard with 2.5 points, where he is tied with B Bessara Isaubayfa. The tournament now moves into Round 5, with Mozychak taking on Alexandra Gorichkina, while Ligno looks set to bounce back against Isaubaeva. With Thursday being a rest day, the tournament will enter the Round 5 stage on Friday.
Round 5 pair – FIDE Women’s Candidates :
- Alexandra Gurichkina – Anna Mozychak
- Zoe Jenner – Vaishali Ramesh Babu
- Tan Zhongyi – Divya Deshmukh
- Katrina Lagno – B. Bessara Isaubayfa
