In the final, which took place in Batumi, Georgia, on Monday, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh defeated India’s top player and current World Rapid champion Koneru Humpy in quick tiebreaks to win the FIDE Women’s World Cup, marking a historic victory for Indian chess.
Divya started the competition as the 15th seed. Still, throughout her impressive run, she defeated some of the world’s best players, culminating in a high-stress final matchup with one of India’s most seasoned and accomplished champions.
The match proceeded to fast tiebreaks following two classical games that ended in draws. Divya played White in the opening quick game, which finished in a tie that was evenly matched. However, Divya had the Black pieces in the second game and displayed incredible poise.
The 38-year-old Humpy made several crucial mistakes in the finale while under extreme time constraints. With decisive action, Divya turned the lead into an incredible triumph and won the championship. In addition to winning the FIDE Women’s World Cup, Divya’s victory marks her final Grandmaster (GM) standard.
As the fourth Indian woman and the 88th Indian overall to accomplish this feat, her victory formally grants her the coveted Grandmaster title.
Divya’s journey is especially motivating, as she routinely defeated opponents with better rankings, thanks to her bold attacking style and thorough preparation, despite not being one of the tournament’s top picks going into it.
Her performance is indicative of the emergence of a new generation of Indian chess players on the international scene.
This triumph is a proud moment for Indian chess and a turning point in Divya’s early career.
She has already made history at the age of 19, and her World Cup victory marks the beginning of a new star who could rule the chess world for years to come.
