Divya Deshmukh's Chess World Cup triumph fuelled by mental toughness: Susan Polgar

India Today

29-07-2025

Legendary Grandmaster Susan Polgar has hailed Divya Deshmukh's remarkable Women's World Cup triumph as a victory fuelled by "mental toughness" and an unshakable will to win, after the 19-year-old etched yet another historic chapter in Indian chess.In a thrilling all-Indian final held in Batumi, Georgia, Divya stunned the vastly more experienced Koneru Humpy in the tiebreaks on Monday. Entering the tournament as a dark horse, the teenager from Maharashtra not only secured the prestigious World Cup but also qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament and became India's 88th Grandmaster.advertisement"First of all, congratulations to Divya for this historic feat. Well done," Polgar told PTI Videos in an interview. "Even though she may not have been the pre-tournament favourite, or the strongest on paper, she had what others lacked - the will to win and mental toughness."
The 56-year-old Hungarian-American, who was the women's world champion from 1996 to 1999, praised Divya's resilience throughout the competition. "There were games where she was in trouble, and some where she couldn't convert. But none of it mattered. She kept fighting, without fear. Her strong nerves carried her through the finish line."Divya's feat places her among the elite in Indian chess, becoming only the fourth Indian woman Grandmaster after Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, and R. Vaishali, and the 44th female GM in the world.Polgar, who herself became the top-rated female player in the world at just 15, believes Indian chess is in the midst of a golden era, propelled by a wave of fearless young talent and bolstered by the guidance of icons like Viswanathan Anand."This is the Golden Age of Chess in India," she said. "What is even more special is that these talents are all homegrown. They respect and support each other. With sustained support from the government - national to local - and sponsors, India will remain at the top for years to come."Citing the example of teen sensation D. Gukesh, who became a Grandmaster at the age of 12, Polgar noted that success in chess often comes down to intangible qualities."When Gukesh became a GM, he wasn't the highest rated among Indian prospects," she recalled. "But I immediately picked him to go furthest. Some thought I was crazy. But as someone who's worked with over 50 Grandmasters, including players rated above 2700, I recognised his special traits.""Same with Divya. She may not be India's highest rated female player, but she has those same intangibles - fearlessness and an immense will to win. That often compensates for any technical deficiencies, which they can address with more training and experience."advertisementPolgar urged both Gukesh and Divya to stay grounded and keep working diligently, warning that future challenges will be fiercer now that they've reached the summit."Don't stop. It's like a moving train - ride the momentum and don't slow down. There'll always be players who are hungrier. If you ease up, it gets much harder," she cautioned. "Divya is no longer an up-and-comer. She's a World Cup champion now. The target is on her back. Others will be gunning for her. She must train - and train harder."Polgar also had warm words for Koneru Humpy, who has been at the forefront of Indian women's chess for decades."Humpy is a phenomenal player. I have great respect for her. She's been near the top for many years. Age and motherhood make things more challenging, but she navigated many tough matches in this tournament. Monday was Divya's day - that's sport. But Humpy will have her moments again, and I wish her all the best."- Ends