Chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh creates history, becomes first Indian to win Women's World Cup 2025
PTC Web Desk: Young chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh etched her name into history on Monday by defeating compatriot Koneru Humpy in a dramatic tie-break to win the Women's World Cup. With this win, Divya became the first Indian to secure the Women's World Cup title and also earned the distinction of becoming India’s 88th chess Grandmaster.
The final match was fiercely contested, with the classical round ending in a draw on Sunday, July 27, which led to a tense tie-break situation. The first rapid game of the tie-break also ended in a stalemate, with both women exhibiting exceptional skills. However, the decisive moment came in the second rapid game when time pressure caused Humpy to make critical blunders. Divya capitalised on these errors and took full advantage, securing the tie-break victory with a 1.5-0.5 scoreline.
Divya’s triumph not only made her the World Cup winner but also marked her as the fourth female Indian Grandmaster, joining the ranks of chess legends like Koneru Humpy, R. Vaishali, and Harika Dronavalli. Her victory in Batumi, Georgia, also earned her a coveted spot in the Candidates Tournament scheduled for the following year.
Divya entered the tie-break phase with a touch of self-doubt, feeling she missed key opportunities in the first classical game. In the first rapid game, both players exchanged moves evenly until Humpy initiated an attack with her knight. The pressure of the situation forced Divya into deeper contemplation, but she quickly regained control, rejecting a queen trade offer from Humpy and later forcing a stalemate.
In the second rapid game, Divya showed resilience, gaining a pawn early on, which proved to be a crucial advantage. With time running out, Humpy faced severe pressure, with just 7 minutes left on the clock compared to Divya’s 14 minutes. Humpy made a bold attempt to regain momentum by offering a pawn, but Divya seized the opportunity, exchanging queens and rooks while maintaining her edge.
A critical mistake by Humpy (Rxf4) allowed Divya to push forward with her pawn and gain a decisive advantage. Although Humpy had an opportunity to fight back, the blunder proved fatal. Divya continued her strong play, and after Humpy’s resignation, Divya burst into tears, overwhelmed by the enormity of her victory.
What made Divya’s achievement even more remarkable was her unconventional route to the Grandmaster title. Despite not having earned the required norms, Divya’s performance at the World Cup saw her surpass the 2500 FIDE rating, earning her the Grandmaster title. Reflecting on her journey, Divya expressed that it felt like fate, as she had not even achieved a single norm before the tournament.
- With inputs from agencies
