Unexpected Triumph: R Vaishali Shines in World Blitz Championship

Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali impressed by winning the women's qualifier at the World Blitz Championship. Despite her surprise, she dominated the event with 9.5 points. Russian Kateryna Lagno followed with 8.5 points. Vaishali's win propels her to the quarterfinals where she'll face Zhu Jiner.

Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali delivered a stunning performance at the World Blitz Championship by winning the women's qualifier and securing her spot in the quarterfinals. She amassed 9.5 points out of 11, stating that the victory was unexpected.

Russian Kateryna Lagno was the closest competitor with 8.5 points, while other qualifiers ended with eight points. Unfortunately, India's Koneru Humpy, despite meeting the points requirement, was eliminated due to a poor tiebreaker.

Vaishali's triumph sets her up for a clash against Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner in the quarterfinals. Reflecting on her success, Vaishali admitted that she was surprised by her own performance, pointing out that she felt lucky in many of the matches.

(With inputs from agencies.)