&w=3840&q=100)
Explained: How Divya Deshmukh became Grandmaster without fulfilling all FIDE norms and rating requirements
19-year-old Divya Deshmukh created history on Monday, 28 July by winning the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 in Batumi, Georgia, becoming the first-ever Indian to win the title. She defeated her senior and one of India's most respected players, Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, in a tense final that went down to the wire.
With this win, Divya also earned the prestigious Grandmaster (GM) title, something very few players in the world have achieved. She became the 88th Grandmaster from India and only the fourth Indian woman to reach that level after Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, and R Vaishali.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Also Read: Divya Deshmukh fights back tears, shares emotional hug with mother after FIDE Women's World Cup win; watch video
How did Divya become a GM without fulfilling the usual rules?
Becoming a Grandmaster in chess is not easy. A player must earn three GM norms in official FIDE-rated tournaments and cross a rating of 2500 at some point in their career. Divya entered the World Cup without a GM norm and her rating was below 2500. So, she didn't meet these requirements.
However, there's a special rule in chess that made her achievement possible. It is known as the Direct Title rule.
What is a Direct Title?
The International Chess Federation, also known as FIDE, allows certain achievements to automatically grant a player the GM title. These are called Direct Titles. Winning tournaments like the Chess World Cup, Continental Championships and the Women's World Cup can directly qualify a player for the GM title without needing to complete norms or rating.
So, by winning the FIDE Women's World Cup, Divya earned an automatic Grandmaster title. That's why she doesn't need to wait for two more norms or to cross 2500 anymore.
How the final went down
The final against Humpy was anything but easy. Both classical games ended in a draw. In the first rapid tiebreak game, Divya had the white pieces but couldn't make the most of it, and it ended in a draw after 81 moves.
But in the second rapid game, Humpy made a few blunders under time pressure after 75 moves, and Divya was able to seal the win and with it the grand prize. With it came the cherry on top - the GM title.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Indian dance troupe mesmerises packed auditorium in Israel
Haifa (Israel), Aug 4 (PTI) India enthusiasts in Israel descended on the northern Israeli coastal city of Haifa on Monday evening to witness a rich and impressive dance performance that blended the traditional Indian dance form of Odissi with modern styles, including fusion, Bollywood, urban dance and even some shades of Middle-Eastern influences. Young dancers from the Indian dance troupe Amaiza, founded by dancer and choreographer Nitisha Nanda, known for her appearances in leading reality shows 'So You Think You Can Dance India" and 'India's Got Talent", gave a captivating performance in front of a packed Beit Aba Hushi auditorium, with the 500 people in the audience often cheering in delight. The Embassy of India in Israel, in collaboration with the Haifa Municipality, the Indian Cultural Centre and the Port of Haifa, hosted the vibrant cultural event, 'celebrating the deepening friendship between India and Israel". The northern Israeli coastal city of Haifa has a deep connection with India, having been liberated from the Ottomans in 1918 by Indian soldiers, and Major Dalpat Singh is known as the 'Hero of Haifa" for leading a successful cavalry charge that shocked military historians by its sheer audacity. 'We were taught in school that the British liberated Haifa, but I later learned that it was Indian soldiers who shed their blood to free the city," Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav told the audience. 'Once a year, we gather at the city's cemetery to honour the Indian soldiers who gave their lives to protect us," Yahav said, emphasising the city's strong bond with India. 'The relationship between India and Israel, especially with the city of Haifa, is built on trust, mutual respect and lasting friendship," India's Ambassador to Israel, J P Singh, said. 'This cultural performance is dedicated to the people of Haifa, a city with which India shares deep historical bonds. During World War I, Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives in the Battle of the Liberation of Haifa," Singh stressed. Dalpat Singh made the ultimate sacrifice in that battle, which the Indian cavalry forces fought bravely under dire circumstances to inscribe their names in the last 'major cavalry charge in history". The performance in Haifa mesmerised the audience with its passion, precision and energy, showcasing both the traditional and contemporary spirit of Indian culture. It was an evening of colour, rhythm and movement — a powerful artistic experience that left a lasting impression on the Israeli audience. The event marked the festive launch of the troupe's Israel tour, with upcoming performances scheduled at Netanya on August 5, Or Akiva on August 6 and Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek on August 7. PTI HM RC view comments First Published: August 05, 2025, 03:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
"Large Indian Pani Puri": Internet Reacts To Viral Giant Rice Ball In Japan
Recently, a food vlogger shared a video on Instagram offering foodies a peek into the preparation process of an enormous ball-shaped delicacy at the Mara Daigaku restaurant in Tokyo. The video shows a person cooking a big ball of dough in a pan filled with a generous amount of oil. With a spatula and a sieve, he continues stirring the dough ball until it takes an enormous shape of a rice ball. Once done, he transfers it into a basket and repeats the process with another dough. Next, the cook serves the riceballs to a customer. When the fluffy riceball was pressed, it broke open from the centre, revealing the hollowed middle part. The caption read, "A Giant Sesame Dango-The Largest in Japan! The dough, which started out the size of a fist, grew to twice the size of a face! At one point during cooking, a hole appeared, and the air whooshed out like a balloon deflating. I thought it was a failure, but as they kept rotating it, the hole disappeared, and it kept getting bigger! It was amazing to watch. The inside was completely hollow, with a chewy glutinous rice cake stuck to the bottom." View this post on Instagram A post shared by 오얼앤드(Food Travel, オーランド) (@or__and) Also Read: Woman Eats Scary-Looking Lizard In Japanese Restaurant, Internet Cannot Digest It Here's how people reacted in the comments section: "Looks delicious. I'd like to try it," admitted a foodie. "It's amazing every time I see it," noted another. "Perfection level," lauded a user. "It's looking like a large Indian panipuri," pointed out one person. "Chill, guys, bhature hai (this is bhature)," read a fun remark. "Where do they make the smallest riceball?" an individual wanted to know. What did you think of this viral video? Would you like to try this treat?
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
'Storm only rattles those who arent ready': Gill on Indias series draw against England
London [UK], August 4 (ANI): Indian skipper Shubman Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant expressed happiness with their team's performances during the recently concluded tour to England and took to their social media to voice out their joy. Both Gill and Pant had a record-breaking series in England as they both fired a massive volume of runs with the bat, ensuring that Indian cricket is in the safe hands following the retirements of stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin. Taking to Instagram, Gill had a message for his doubters following a 'Player of the Series' performance, saying, "The storm only rattles those who aren't ready for it." During the series, Gill emerged as the leading run-getter, indeed manifesting his aim to be the "best batter of the series" into reality, with 774 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, with four centuries and a best score of 269. He scored his centuries in a variety of situations, coming into the series with the pressure of performing well outside Asia being heavy on his shoulders, having not crossed the 40-run mark outside Asia since the 91-run knock at Brisbane against Australia in 2021. With a mountain-like volume of runs, Gill tore into cricketing record books like no one did and silenced his critics in style. As a captain, much of his tactical brilliance led to India dominating all the Test matches for significant periods and ensuring they were decided on the final day. Also, vice-captain Pant, who broke numerous records as an Indian/Asian wicketkeeper-batter in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) conditions, posted that the tour "asked a lot and gave even more in return". "A tour that asked a lot and gave even more in return. Proud of how this team stood up, adapted and kept fighting. Representing the country means everything to us; it takes everything out of you, but we take pride in that. Big thanks to our incredible support staff and the fans who stood by us throughout. This team is hungry, united and here to take Indian cricket forward," he posted. While Pant did not play the fifth Test due to a foot injury, he still ended up as the sixth-highest run-getter with 479 runs in four matches and seven innings at an average of 68.42, with two centuries and three fifties. His best score was 134. One of the biggest moments of the series saw him walk out to bat despite an injured foot during the fourth Manchester Test, in a show of remarkable courage, determination, and a will to do everything to get the country over the finishing line. He delivered a valuable half-century, which added much-needed runs to India's total, helping them draw the match eventually. After England opted to bowl first, they reduced India to 153/6. A 58-run partnership between Karun Nair (57 in 109 balls, with eight fours) and Washington Sundar (26 in 55 balls, with three fours) was the most meaningful part of the inning as India was bundled out for 224 runs. Apart from Gus Atkinson's five-wicket haul, Josh Tongue (3/57) was also good. In the second innings, four-fers from Siraj (4/86) and Prasidh Krishna (4/62) reduced England to 247, despite a 92-run opening stand between Zak Crawley (64 in 57 balls, with 14 fours) and Ben Duckett (43 in 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and a fifty by Harry Brook (53 in 64 balls, with five fours and a six). They led by 23 runs. In India's second innings, key contributions came from Yashasvi Jaiswal (118 in 164 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes), Akash Deep (66 in 94 balls, with 12 fours), Ravindra Jadeja (53 in 77 balls, with five fours) and Washington Sundar (53 in 46 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes). Sundar stitched a very crucial 10th wicket stand with Krishna, with the latter scoring nothing out of it and Sundar doing all the hitting. They all took India to 396 runs, giving them a 373-run lead and setting a target of 374 runs for England to win the series. India started well, reducing England to 106/3. However, fine centuries from Harry Brook (111 in 98 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes) and Joe Root (105 in 152 balls, with 12 fours) troubled India with a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket. At one point, England was 317/4 on day four. However, a late surge by Siraj (5/104) and Krishna (4/126) shifted the pressure to England, and they were left six runs short, bundled out for 367 runs.
