&w=3840&q=100)
FIDE Women's World Cup: Koneru Humpy advances to semi-final, Harika-Divya match drawn, Vaishali eliminated
Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy secured a spot in the semifinals of the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup by holding International Master Yuxin Song of China. After winning the first game with the white pieces, Humpy needed only a draw in the second game of the quarterfinal to advance, which she achieved after a closely contested battle.
Song was not on song against Humpy
Yuxin Song had to win to stay in the hunt against Humpy and her preferred choice was the Jobava's London, an opening that is fancied these days by many strong Grandmasters. Humpy equalised without much ado but then sacrificed two pawns in tandem to give white some hopes.
However, Song's pawn structure was really broken with three pawns standing on a sole file and Humpy found her counter play in the centre. Recovering the pawns Humpy was happy to lead the game to a level rook and pawns endgame. Song tried in vain for 53 moves before splitting the point.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
With fourth place secured, Koneru Humpy has two opportunities to finish in the top three. Finishing in the top three will guarantee her a spot in the next Women's Candidates' tournament.
All-Indian affair ends in a draw
The all-Indian affair between GM D Harika and IM Divya Deshmukh ended in a draw, which means they will now square off in the tiebreaker, which is scheduled to held on Monday. Harika tried safely as white and like the previous game the players reached a drawn rook and pawns endgame. Interestingly, this is the only match that goes into tie-break games of shorter duration, which also means that there will be two Indians in the semifinals.
🇨🇳 Lei Tingjie, 🇨🇳 Tan Zhongyi, and 🇮🇳 Humpy Koneru are through to the semifinals! ♟️🔥
The final semifinal spot will be decided tomorrow as 🇮🇳 Divya Deshmukh and 🇮🇳 Harika Dronavalli face off in the playoffs!
Results - Quarterfinals - Game 2
🇨🇳 Lei Tingjie 1-0 Nana Dzagnidze… pic.twitter.com/42GQ5zzI0R — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 20, 2025
End of the road for Vaishali
As for Vaishali, she suffered a loss to former Women's champion Zhongyi Tan of China. Vaishali took her chances in the middle game and got the dynamic balance she was looking for. However, resourceful as she is, Tan capitalised on an unforced error to gain the upper hand. Vaishali again got some chances according to the computer but it was always a tall order to find all correct moves. It will be a tough loss for her as she was in a slightly better position for most of the game. Vaishali had drawn the first game against Tan and had lost the second, which means her campaign in the FIDE Women's World Cup has come to a sad end.
(With inputs from PTI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
9 minutes ago
- Hans India
Mentored by Aditi Chauhan, Warriorz FC set for a grand relaunch in Mumbai Women's League
Mumbai: In what is a big boost to women's football in Mumbai and Maharashtra, Warriorz FC is set for relaunch as a competitive force in the city's sports ecosystem and are hoping to move up to the national level by qualifying for the Indian Women's League (IWL) 1. Currently competing in Mumbai's top-tier league - the MFA Women's Premier League, the Warriorz FC will be mentored by former India captain and legend Aditi Chauhan. The club finished runners-up in the MFA Women's Premier League last season. Previously known as Rudra FC, the team was acquired by Capri Sports and joins the Warriorz clan, as they look to up the ante. First up on the agenda for the Warriorz FC will be to try and claim the coveted MFA Women's Premier League title, and then eventually earn the right to consistently compete in the Indian Women's League 1 – the top tier of domestic competition for women's football in India. Warriorz FC represents Capri Sports' first foray into the world of football, wherein the aim is to help elevate the profile of women's football in Mumbai. On this journey, the spotlight will be on elite-level player training and development, and access to some of the best coaches and sports science professionals. Speaking on the occasion, Team Mentor, Aditi Chauhan said, 'It is great to see big corporates like Capri Sports investing in women's football and taking ownership to create a better system for the players. I'm looking forward to sharing my experience and knowledge not just with the players but also the management, wherein we work towards the holistic growth of everyone involved. Not just producing champions but also leaders of tomorrow' 'Warriorz FC represents far more than just a football team for Capri Sports — it is a strategic opportunity to create meaningful, long-term impact on the women's football ecosystem in India. Driving that change begins at the grassroots, where foundational interventions are most critical. With Aditi Chauhan bringing her invaluable experience and expertise to the project, we believe we have all the right elements in place to build something truly transformative,' said Apurv Gupta, Director – Contact Sports, Capri Sports. 'With Warriorz FC, our vision is to build a club that not only competes at the highest level but also contributes meaningfully to the rise of Indian women's football. We're thrilled to welcome Aditi Chauhan on board; her leadership and global experience will be invaluable as we grow this team and this movement,' said Jinisha Sharma, Director - Capri Sports.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
9 minutes ago
- First Post
Former India captain Aditi Chauhan to guide Warriorz FC in new chapter as mentor
Rudra FC women's football team has been rebranded as Warriorz FC to compete in the MFA Women's Premier League. It will be mentored by former India captain Aditi Chauhan. The initiative will help boost women's football in Mumbai and India. read more Mumbai, 22 July, 2025: In what is a big boost to women's football in Mumbai and the state of Maharashtra, Capri Sports has announced the launch of the Warriorz FC. Currently competing in Mumbai's top-tier league - the MFA Women's Premier League, the Warriorz FC will be mentored by former India captain and legend Aditi Chauhan. Previously known as Rudra FC, the team was acquired by Capri Sports, and joins the Warriorz clan, as they look to up the ante. First up on the agenda for the Warriorz FC will be to try and claim the coveted MFA Women's Premier League title, and then eventually earn the right to consistently compete in the Indian Women's League 1 – the top-tier of domestic competition for women's football in India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Warriorz FC represents Capri Sports' first foray into the world of football, wherein the aim is to help elevate the profile of women's football in Mumbai, and India. On this journey, the spotlight will be on elite level player training and development, and access to some of the best coaches and sports science professionals. Capri Sports, who are among the pioneers of promoting women empowerment through the vehicle of sports, saw the Warriorz FC finish runners-up in the MFA Women's Premier League last season. More from Football Speaking on the occasion, Team Mentor, Aditi Chauhan said, 'It is great to see big corporates like Capri Sports investing in women's football and taking ownership to create a better system for the players. I'm looking forward to sharing my experience and knowledge not just with the players but also the management, wherein we work towards holistic growth of everyone involved. Not just producing champions but also leaders of tomorrow' 'Warriorz FC represents far more than just a football team for Capri Sports — it is a strategic opportunity to create meaningful, long-term impact on the women's football ecosystem in India. Driving that change begins at the grassroots, where foundational interventions are most critical. With Aditi Chauhan bringing her invaluable experience and expertise to the project, we believe we have all the right elements in place to build something truly transformative,' said Apurv Gupta, Director – Contact Sports, Capri Sports. 'At Capri Sports, we're committed to shaping the future of women's sports in India, and we believe football is one of the next big frontiers. With Warriorz FC, our vision is to build a club that not only competes at the highest level but also contributes meaningfully to the rise of Indian women's football. We're thrilled to welcome Aditi Chauhan on board; her leadership and global experience will be invaluable as we grow this team and this movement.' Said, Jinisha Sharma, Director - Capri Sports. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
9 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Delay of 90 seconds sparked it: Gill on clash with Crawley in Lord's Test
India captain Shubman Gill addressed the much-discussed exchange with Zak Crawley at Lord's, clarifying that it was triggered by a 90-second delay in the English batter's arrival at the crease. Speaking on the eve of the fourth Test in Manchester, Gill said England's tactic—coming out nearly a minute and a half late with only seven minutes left in the day—was seen as unsporting. 'Yes, most teams want to face fewer overs in such situations, but there's a certain manner to do it,' Gill stated. 'Ninety seconds late is not in the spirit of the game.' He added that the confrontation didn't arise out of nowhere but was the result of several build-ups earlier in the match. While admitting it wasn't something he was "proud of", Gill stood by his team's reaction, attributing it to the emotional intensity of high-stakes Test cricket. Session management and missed opportunities Gill acknowledged that India's inability to close sessions strongly has been a recurring issue. Despite being in commanding positions during the Lord's Test, the team frequently lost key wickets at the end of sessions, allowing England to claw back. 'We've spoken about it, whether in Australia or here—how important it is to win the start and end of a session. Sometimes, you do everything right, but things don't go your way,' he admitted. Improving session discipline, with bat and ball, remains a focus heading into the Manchester Test. Stokes' reply: England will respond in kind England captain Ben Stokes, in his presser before Gill, also mentioned the incident, saying his team would reciprocate any aggression from the Indian side in the intense Test series. Speaking before the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Stokes emphasised that while neither team is looking to initiate sledging, aggressive moments are inevitable due to the high stakes involved. 'We're not going to purposely start it, but we won't take a backward step either,' he said, indicating England's readiness to meet confrontation head-on. Stokes acknowledged that India's aggression at Lord's, especially from players like Gill and Siraj, injected energy into England's performance, and that his team has embraced this competitive intensity to maintain momentum in the series. Stokes on Lord's incident: Energy and momentum battle Reflecting on the tense moments at Lord's, Stokes defended behaviour from his players, saying the tactics employed by Crawley and Duckett were part of a fierce fight to secure victory. He noted, 'We threw everything at India—skills and energy both." He admitted that returning aggression raised the team's adrenaline and camaraderie, calling it a 'really nice moment' for England to collectively back each other in the face of confrontation. With England leading the series 2-1, Stokes expressed confidence in maintaining their momentum at Old Trafford and stressed the importance of continuing the same effort and energy as they seek to clinch the series.
