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NDTV
28-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Divya Deshmukh Breaks Down After Clinching Historic Chess World Cup Title
Divya Deshmukh became the first Indian woman to clinch the FIDE World Cup title after defeating compatriot Koneru Humpy at Georgia's Batumi on Monday. The final lasted for three days with Divya finally claiming the title via tiebreaks. The victory made Divya eligible to become the fourth woman from India to become a grandmaster. Following two draws on Saturday and Sunday, the first game in the tie-break also ended in a draw. However, Divya produced a brilliant performance to defeat her experienced opponent with a score of 2.5-1.5 in the tiebreaks of the FIDE Women's World Cup Final. Following the victory, Divya was extremely emotional and she broke down in tears before the celebrations started. Divya Deshmukh 🇮🇳 winner of the World Chess Cup and also now a Grandmaster! — Chessdom (@chessdom) July 28, 2025 She is only the fourth woman from India to become a Grandmaster, and the 88th overall. The victory has come at a time when India is riding a wave of success in men's chess, with the likes of world champion D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi producing good results consistently. Deshmukh joins Humpy, Dronavalli Harika and R Vaishali in the list of women who became Grandmasters in the country. By virtue of making it to the Women's World Cup final, Deshmukh also secured a spot in next year's Candidates tournament, which will decide who will take on world champion Ju Wenjun of China in the Women's World Championship. An emotional Deshmukh couldn't hold back her tears following the victory against an opponent twice her age, who fought till the last before losing to the determined youngster. "I need time to process it (win). I think it was fate, me getting the Grandmaster title this way because before this (tournament) I didn't even have one (GM) norm, and now I am the Grandmaster," she said. (With PTI inputs)
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Business Standard
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Business Standard
Divya Deshmukh trumps Koneru Humpy to clinch maiden FIDE Women's WC title
India's rising star Divya Deshmukh has etched her name in chess history by defeating veteran compatriot Koneru Humpy to win the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup 2025. The thrilling final took place in Batumi, Georgia, and was decided in tense tiebreaks on Monday after the two classical games ended in draws. The 19-year-old Deshmukh showcased remarkable composure and skill under pressure. After drawing the first rapid tiebreak game, she seized her opportunity in the second rapid encounter while playing with the black pieces. Capitalizing on a critical endgame error by the experienced 38-year-old Humpy, Divya steadily increased her advantage and converted it to clinch the title. Divya Deshmukh ???????? winner of the World Chess Cup and also now a Grandmaster! — Chessdom (@chessdom) July 28, 2025 This victory marks the most significant achievement in Divya's burgeoning career, highlighting her as one of the brightest young talents in Indian and global chess. By winning the prestigious tournament, Divya also secured her Grandmaster title, a coveted milestone in the chess world. She is now the fourth Indian woman to reach this elite status, joining the ranks of the country's chess legends. Koneru Humpy, a seasoned grandmaster with decades of international experience, put up a fierce fight. Her resilience and deep understanding of the game made the match intensely competitive and engaging. However, Divya's fearless and aggressive style proved decisive in the rapid format, where quick thinking and tactical sharpness are vital. The FIDE Women's Chess World Cup final showcased the best of Indian chess, pitting two talented players from the same country against each other on a global stage. Divya Deshmukh's triumph symbolizes a new generation rising to prominence, promising exciting prospects for the future of Indian chess. This win not only earns Divya a prestigious title and a significant prize but also establishes her as a formidable force in international chess circles, setting the stage for an illustrious career ahead. FIDE Women's Chess World Cup Winners and Runner-ups The FIDE Women's World Cup is one of the most thrilling and fiercely competitive events on the international chess calendar. Held every two years, it brings together the best female players from around the world to battle it out in a knockout format that tests nerves, skill, and endurance. Beyond the prize money and glory, it serves as a crucial pathway towards the Women's Candidates Tournament and ultimately the World Championship cycle. 2021: Alexandra Kosteniuk's Triumphant Return Back in 2021, the first edition of the Women's World Cup was held in Sochi, Russia, setting a high bar for excitement. Alexandra Kosteniuk, a seasoned grandmaster and former world champion, played with her trademark calm and precision. She danced through the rounds, eventually facing Aleksandra Goryachkina in the final. Kosteniuk didn't just win — she was dominant, taking the series 1.5–0.5 without dropping a single game. The victory reinvigorated her career and launched the Women's World Cup into the spotlight. 2023: Goryachkina's Redemption in Baku Fast forward to 2023 in Baku, and the narrative shifted as Aleksandra Goryachkina sought redemption. After a narrow loss in the 2021 final, she kept her nerves steady, eventually beating Bulgaria's young prodigy Nurgyul Salimova in a tense rapid-play tiebreak. The score was 1.5–0.5 in her favour, but it was far from easy. Goryachkina's grit under pressure won her the crown and etched her name as a true contender on the world stage. 2025: Divya Deshmukh wins historic All-Indian Final The 2025 edition in Batumi, Georgia, has been nothing short of remarkable. For the first time, the Women's World Cup final was an all-Indian affair, featuring the experienced and composed Koneru Humpy against the fearless teenager Divya Deshmukh. Divya has earned the Grandmaster before her name on the day with the maiden World Cup title.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Nihal Sarin bounces back as Indian stars shine at Asian Chess Championship
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin bounced back with a victory against Russia's Nikita Matinian in the second round of the Asian Individual Chess Championship in Al Ain, UAE on Thursday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The tournament, carrying a prize fund of USD 80,000, serves as part of the World Championship cycle with top players qualifying for the World Chess Cup later this year. Fourth-seeded Murali Karthikeyan secured his second consecutive win by defeating Lou Yipping of Philippines. However, Grandmaster S L Narayanan faced a setback, losing to Uzbekistan's Atakhan Albin. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The day proved challenging for higher-seeded players in the premier Asian championship, with many facing tough competition. India's young chess players performed well overall. Abhijeet Gupta registered his first tournament victory by defeating fellow Indian K Senthil Maren. In the women's section, Vantika Agrawal continued her strong form from the opening round, defeating Assel Serikbay to achieve the maximum score of two points. Quiz: Key results in the open section included A R Ilamparthi's victory over Amin Tabatabaei, while Grigory Fedorov lost to Prraneeth Vuppala. Aditya Mittal defeated Bai Adelard, and Siddharth Jagadeesh won against Rashid Husain Alhammadi. Mayank Chakraborty secured a win over Abuazizah Raji, and V Pranav emerged victorious against Sakline Mostafa Sajid. Explained: Why Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket In women's competition, Valentina Gunina defeated Yana Zhapova, while Liya Kurmangaliyeva drew with Song Yuxin. Zarina Nurgaliyeva won against Mungutntuul Batkhuyag. Meruert Kamalidenova defeated Potapova Margarita, and Afruza Khamdamova won against Sakshi Chitlange. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Indian players Rakshitta Ravi and Priyanka Nutakki secured victories over Arshiya Das and Rouda Essa Alserkal respectively. The tournament continues to serve as a crucial qualifying event for the upcoming World Chess Cup, attracting top players from across Asia.
News18
07-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
Indian GM Nihal Sarin To Lead Indian Contingent For Asian Continental Chess Championship
Last Updated: Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin is the favorite in the Asian Continental Chess Championship, aiming for a World Chess Cup berth. Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin will start as favourite in the Asian Continental Chess Championship here. The nine-round event will see an in-form Sarin, who is the top seed, competing for the top prize as well as a berth in the next World Chess Cup slated to be held in New Delhi in October later this year. As many as 18-Indian Grandmasters will be seen in action in the strongest Asian championship with top 10 places reserved for the next World Chess Cup. Sarin, who recently won the Tashkent Open, is now closing in on becoming the next 2700 ELO rating player from India with just seven points short of the coveted mark. The ride could be bumpy though with presence of many Asian stalwarts like Amin Tabatabai of Iran and Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan, who have been given the second and third billing. Forth seeded Murali Karthikeyan will be the other Indian to watch out for, while Leon Luke Mendonca and reigning world junior champion V Pranav are likely to be other major contenders for a podium finish. Though not at their prime, one can never rule out several times national champion and former gold medalist Surya Shekhar Ganguly and former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta in the USD 80000 prize money event. The women championship will be held simultaneously and the Indian challenge will be spearheaded by International Master and Chess Olympiad gold medallist Vantika Agrawal. This will also be the first time ever that the Russian players will be part of the Asian event, playing under the FIDE flag. Topping the list in the women's section is Leya Garifullina who will start as the top seed, Valentina Gunina and Olga Girya, who are seeded second and thiird. Vantika, seeded seventh, can give everyone a run for their money as she has been doing pretty well in the ladies' section. P V Nandhidha, Padmini Rout and Rakshitha Ravi are the other Indian players, who can make a mark for themselves but a good start will be the key for them. The event will also have two blitz championships, for men and women, reserved for the last day. First Published: May 06, 2025, 18:18 IST
