Latest news with #FIDEWomen'sWorldCup2025
News18
3 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
'Maybe It Was Destiny...': Divya Deshmukh Opens Up On Dual Achievement Following Batumi Success
When quizzed what she was more proud of, the World Cup title or the title of GM, Deshmukh opined that it was a special feeling to achieve both feats simultaneously. Teenage Indian sensation Divya Deshmukh enjoyed a double delight at the recently concluded FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 as he clinched the top spot, edging out compatriot Humpy Koneru in the championship battle to seal the title and also earn the title of Grandmaster as a result of her impeccable showing in Batumi. The 19-year-old Deshmukh returned to his hometown, Nagpur, to a hero's welcome with the Chess fraternity uniting to laud her incredible feat at such a tender age. When quizzed what she was more proud of, the World Cup title or the title of GM, Deshmukh opined that it was a special feeling to achieve both feats simultaneously. 'I think the Grandmaster title is something that would have come eventually, definitely come," she began. 'I don't know when, but it would have," she explained. 'So, can't choose," the genius from Nagpur said. 'Maybe it was destiny that I got both my titles in one shot and the fact that I did not have eve one norm before and now I am a Grandmaster is why I think it was meant to be," Deshmukh said. Deshmukh made chess history by defeating Humpy with a score of 2.5-1.5 in the tiebreaks of the FIDE Women's World Cup Final on Monday, making her the first-ever Indian champion of the prestigious tournament. Along with the coveted trophy, Deshmukh received $50,000 in prize money. More importantly, her win granted her the title of Grandmaster, making her India's 88th Grandmaster in chess history. Deshmukh now holds the Grandmaster title, joining the ranks of only four Indian women to achieve this status, including her opponent Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, and R Vaishali. Typically, becoming a Grandmaster requires winning three GM norms and achieving a Standard (Classical) FIDE rating of 2500 or higher. However, players can also earn this title by winning certain elite competitions, including the FIDE Women's World Cup. Deshmukh announced that she would take a break before competing in the Grand Swiss, scheduled to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 2-16. view comments 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.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Divya Deshmukh receives grand welcome in Nagpur as fans flock to congratulate Women's Chess World Cup champion
Divya Deshmukh got a grand welcome on her return to Nagpur, after winning the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup title in Batumi (Georgia). The 19-year-old was welcomed by a massive crowd at the airport in Nagpur, as family, friends and chess fans from across the city flocked to cheer for her. FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 champion Divya Deshmukh being welcomed upon her arrival at Nagpur airport.(PTI) On arriving in Nagpur, she said, 'I am so happy to receive this affection. My heart is full.' 'I'll take some rest this month and prepare for Grand Swiss next,' she added. Here is the full video of her Nagpur welcome: Divya defeated Koneru Humpy in the final, and was extremely emotional after the win. There were tears of joy rolling down her cheeks as she hugged her mother, who tried to calm her down. During her post-match interview, she said, 'I need time to process it. I think it was fate, me getting the Grandmaster title this way. Because before this, I didn't even have one norm, and before this tournament, I was thinking 'Oh, where can I get my norm' and now I'm a Grandmaster.' Analysing her game, she conceded that she needs to improve in her endgames. 'I definitely need to learn endgames. I'm pretty sure at some point I messed it up. I'm not sure how. It should have been an easy win. I think I should not allow g4. But I think maybe I should just go rook a3, rook f3, rook g3, and that should be a win,' she said. 'It definitely means a lot. But of course, there's uh there's a lot more to achieve. So this I'm hoping this is just a start,' she added. She is also the first Indian to win the FIDE Women's World Cup title and she wasn't even a GM before the tournament. She bagged the GM title after beating Humpy, becoming India's 88th. Her qualification for the final also saw her get a berth at next year's Candidates Tournament.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Divya Deshmukh dedicates GM title to trainer, who died in 2020; reveals team behind FIDE Women's World Cup success
Divya Deshmukh scripted history on Monday, defeating Koneru Humpy at the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup final, and also became India's 88th Grandmaster. She defeated Humpy in an all-Indian final which also went to tie-breaks and Divya ended up winning 1.5-0.5. Divya Deshmukh speaks with the media after winning the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025, in Batumi, Georgia.(FIDE/Anna Shtourman) After returning to India, Divya spoke about her first coach, Rahul Joshi, and dedicated her GM title to him. Joshi, a famous chess trainer from Maharashtra, died in 2020 at the age of 40. 'He always wanted me to be a GM': Divya Deshmukh 'He always wanted me to be a GM. I dedicate my GM title to him,' she said. Meanwhile, in a recent interview with FIDE, she revealed her team members behind her success at the FIDE Women's World Cup. 'For this tournament, I was helped by Csaba Balogh. He's from Hungary. He's a really strong Grandmaster. He spent endless nights. I think he's had a harder time with this tournament than I have. He's got no sleep. He was the reason I had such good preparation,' she said. 'Also, I was helped by Abhimanyu Puranik for this tournament. He was always there to cheer me on,' she further added. Balogh got the GM title in 2004, and was a member of the Hungarian team, which won silver at the 2014 Chess Olympiad. Meanwhile, Puranik is a 25-year-old GM, based in Mumbai. He finished second at the World Junior Chess C'ship in 2018. Meanwhile, Divya has also won multiple gold medals at the World Junior C'ships, Asian Championship and also the World Youth C'ship. Her victory has continued the domination of Indians in chess in recent times. Speaking after her win, Divya said, 'I need time to process it. I think it was fate, me getting the Grandmaster title this way. Because before this, I didn't even have one norm, and before this tournament, I was thinking 'Oh, where can I get my norm' and now I'm a Grandmaster.'
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Explained: How Divya Deshmukh became Grandmaster without fulfilling all FIDE norms and rating requirements
Divya Deshmukh made history on Monday by winning the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 and becoming India's 88th Grandmaster. She won the GM title without meeting the usual norms or rating criteria. Here's how she achieved the feat. read more 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.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Sachin Tendulkar Hails Divya Deshmukh On Winning India's First FIDE Women's Chess World Cup
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday congratulated Divya Deshmukh on becoming India's first FIDE Women's World Cup champion in Batumi, Georgia. The 19-year-old Divya stunned the chess world by winning the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025, becoming the first Indian woman to claim the prestigious title. In the all-Indian final, Divya defeated legendary compatriot Koneru Humpy 1.5–0.5 in the rapid tie-breaks on Monday to script a fairytale ending. Taking to X, Tendulkar wrote, "An all-Indian final. A historic win. Congrats Divya Deshmukh, India's first Women's World Cup Champion and newest Grandmaster. Full credit to Koneru Humpy for a thrilling contest yesterday!" The classical games played over the weekend had ended in tense draws, with both players showcasing resilience and elite-level play. In Saturday's opening game, Divya, playing with the white pieces, built a commanding position but let Humpy equalise late. The second game on Sunday was more balanced, though Divya admitted she 'wandered into trouble for no apparent reason' before holding on. But the tie-breaks were where the young sensation flipped the script. After the first rapid game ended in a draw, the second saw Humpy crack under time pressure, making critical blunders that Divya pounced on. With nerves of steel, Divya closed out the win to become the 2025 Women's World Cup champion, the fourth Indian woman to earn the Grandmaster title, and the country's 88th Grandmaster (GM) overall. Divya's sensational title triumph in the World Cup is proof that the country is a dominant force in chess and currently rules the world, with Dommaraju Gukesh crowned last year as the FIDE World Champion after beating Ding Liren of China in the final in Singapore.
