Women's Chess World Cup Final: Divya Deshmukh lets advantage slip, holds Koneru Humpy to hard-fought draw in Game 1
The first game of the much-anticipated Women's Chess World Cup final between rising star Divya Deshmukh and veteran Grandmaster (GM) Koneru Humpy ended in a draw after a tense and dynamic 41-move battle on Saturday in Batumi, Georgia.
19-year-old International Master (IM), playing with the white pieces, showed plenty of ambition in her first-ever final at this level.
She surprised many by choosing an opening (d4) she hadn't used in the tournament so far, a sign that she had come well-prepared for this match.
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Humpy, India's top-ranked female player and a veteran of countless high-pressure games, was equally sharp and composed, matching Divya move for move through the middle stages of the game.
FIDE Women's World Cup Final, Game 1: As It Happened!
Though both players seemed to be heading toward a draw midway through, the game remained tense for nearly three hours.
Divya took a long time to make key decisions, using up valuable time on her clock, which seemingly cost her the edge she had in the opening hour of Game 1.
Humpy, on the other hand, stayed calm and patient, using her experience to navigate the complications on the board.
As the endgame approached, both players had chances to push slightly, but neither was able to break through.
At one point, Humpy kept repeating checks with her queen, looking for an opportunity, while Divya declined a draw offer and played on, trying to test Humpy further.
But eventually, the position balanced out, and the game ended in a draw after 41 moves and several repetitions.
While the result may not have brought fireworks on the scoreboard, it was a solid start to what promises to be a gripping contest between India's past and future in women's chess.
Game 2 will be played tomorrow, with Humpy getting the white pieces. The winner will be decided over four classical games, with tiebreaks if needed.
Game 1 moves (with Divya playing whites):
1. d4 d5
2. c4 dxc4
3. e4 e5
4. Nf3 Bb4+
5. Nc3 Nf6
6. Nxe5 b5
7. Be2 Bb7
8. 0-0 Bxc3
9. bxc3 Nxe4
10. Ba3 Nd6
11. Bf3 Qc8
12. Nxc4 bxc4
13. Re1+ Kf8
14. Bxb7 Qxb7
15. Qe2 Nc6
16. d5 h5
17. Rab1 Qa6
18. Bxd6+ cxd6
19. dxc6 Qxc6
20. Rb4 Rc8
21. Qe7+ Kg8
22. Qxa7 Rh6
23. h4 Rg6
24. g3 Qf3
25. Re3 Qd1+
26. Kg2 Qd5+
27. Kg1 Qd1+
28. Kg2 Qd5+
29. Kg1 Qd1+
30. Kh2 Rf6
31. Rb2 Qf1
32. Ree2 Rc5
33. Qa8+ Kh7
34. f4 d5
35. Re8 Rb5
36. Rh8+ Kg6
37. Rxb5 Qf2+
38. Kh3+ Qf1+
39. Kh2 Qf2+
40. Kh3+ Qf1+
41. Kh2 Qf2+
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