Vaishali's Master Stroke: Triumph Against Mariya Muzychuk!

Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali achieved a remarkable victory against former world champion Mariya Muzychuk of Ukraine, taking a joint lead in the women's section of the FIDE Grand Swiss following the 10th round on Sunday.

Vaishali's strategy was laser-focused from the onset, knowing a win was essential to stay in contention. She adeptly navigated the complexities of the Sicilian defense's Sveshnikov variation, applying pressure until Muzychuk stumbled in the endgame, giving Vaishali a 42-move win and tying her with Ukraine's Kateryna Lagno at 7.5 points.

The competitive field now sees former women's world champion Zhongyi Tan and Yuxin Song of China, along with Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan, nipping at the leaders' heels with 7 points each. Meanwhile, in the open section, Indian contenders like Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin saw their chances diminish, with R Praggnanandhaa already out of the running.