Latest news with #KoneruHumpy
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First Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Humpy, Harika among Indians advancing to third round of FIDE Women's World Cup; Vantika held to tie-breaks by Ushenina
Koneru Humpy defeated Afruza Khamdamova by a 1.5-0.5 scoreline after holding the Uzbekistani to a stalemate in Game 2 on Thursday while Harika Dronavalli triumphed in an all-Indian clash against PV Nandhidhaa. Vantika Agrawal, meanwhile, faces Anna Ushenina in the tie-breaks after losing Game 2. read more Indian Grandmasters Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli and R Vaishali advanced to the third round of the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup in Batumi, Georgia on Thursday while International Master Vantika Agrawal's second-round clash against Ukraine's Anna Ushenina has gone into the tie-breaks after the latter bounced back following a stunning defeat in the opening game. Humpy, Vaishali, Vantika and Divya Deshmukh needed a draw to advance to the third round after winning Game 1 of their second-round clashes on Wednesday. And world rapid champion Humpy did precisely that against Uzbekistan's Afruza Khamdamova, holding her opponent to a draw while playing with white pieces to win the second round by a 1.5-0.5 scoreline. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD IM Divya triumphed over Georgia's Kesaria Mgeladze by an identical scoreline, having also played out a draw in her second game after winning the first. Vaishali, meanwhile, did one better and advanced to the next round with a 2-0 victory over Maili-Jade Ouellet after winning her second game against the Canadian, this time with black pieces. Harika wins all-Indian clash against Nandhidhaa Harika, meanwhile, defeated PV Nandhidhaa in an all-Indian encounter by a 1.5-0.5 scoreline after she won Game 2 – which had become something of a shoot-out after the two played out a draw on the previous day. The 34-year-old, a two-time World Cup bronze medallist, used her experience to keep Nandhidhaa's white pieces at bay and force a stalemate, resulting in the latter becoming only the second Indian after Kiran Manisha Mohanty to bow out of the event. 📷 Anna Shtourman, Andrei Anosov — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 10, 2025 Vantika, meanwhile, faces former women's world champion Ushenina in the tie-breaks after finishing on level terms at the end of the two Classical games. The tie-breaks will get underway with two 15-minute Rapid games with a 10-second increment and will be two more games with 10+10 time controls. In case the scores are still tied, the two players will compete in two 5+3 Blitz games, which then will be followed by 3+2 games until one player finishes on top. Also competing in the tie-breaks on Friday is Padmini Rout, who was held to a second consecutive draw by Switzerland's Alexandra Kosteniuk. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Round 3 of the ongoing tournament gets underway on Saturday, 12 July.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
FIDE Women's World Cup: Humpy ousts Khamdamova, Harika also in third round
Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy played out an easy draw with Afruza Khamdamova of Uzbekistan to win her mini-match 1.5-0.5 in the second round while D Harika beat compatriot P V Nandhidhaa to enter the last 32 stage of the FIDE Women's World Chess Cup here on Thursday. Humpy was always in control with her white pieces and at the same time saved her energy for the rounds ahead by taking a draw. Harika made her way in style as Nandhidhaa went all-in in a must win game. Harika, a twice bronze medallist in the event, just had to be herself to keep white pieces away from causing any destruction and once that was done, Nandhidhaa became the second Indian after Kiran Manisha Mohanty to bow out of the event. R Vaishali also made it to the next round, defeating Ouellet Maili-Jade of Canada in another Indian victory of the day while Divya Deshmukh ousted Kesaria Mgeladze of Georgia. K Priyanka, who sprang a surprise in the opening round, continued to do well and played out a back-to-back draw with Klaudia Kulon of Poland to reach the tiebreaker. It was a little bit of heartbreak for Vantika Agrawal, who had won effortlessly against former world champion Anna Ushenina of Ukraine in the first game of the round. However, the Ukraianian struck back to level scores and both will also be seen in the tiebreaker that happens on Friday. Important and Indian results round 2 game 1 Lei Tingjie (Chn) beat Francisco Guecamburu Candela Be (Arg) 2-0 Alinasab Mobina (Iri) lost to Zhu Jiner (Chn) 0,5-1,5 Tan Zhongyi (Chn) beat Anastasia Kirtadze (Geo) 2-0 Afruza Khamdamova (Uzb) lost to Koneru Humpy (Ind) 0.5-1.5 Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) drew with Inna Gaponenko (Ukr) 1-1 goes to tiebreak Kateryna Lagno (Fid) drew with Anastasia Avramidou (Gre) 1-1 goes to tiebreak Daria Charochkina (Fid) lost to Nana Dzagnidze (Geo) 0-2 Mariya Muzychuk drew with Cervantes Landeiro Thalia (Usa) 1-1 goes to tiebreak P V Nandhidhaa (Ind) lost to Dronavalli Harika (Ind) 0-2 R Vaishali beat Ouellet Maili-Jade (Can) 2-0 Gulnar Mammadova (Aze) lost to Polina Shuvalova (Fid) 0-2 Alexandra Kosteniuk (Sui) drew with Padmini Rout (Ind) 1-1 goes to tiebreak Divya Deshmukh (Ind) beat Kesaria Mgeladze (Geo) 1.5-0.5 Vantika Agrawal (Ind) lost to Anna Ushenina (Ukr) 1-1 goes to tiebreak Klaudia Kulon drew with K Priyanka (Ind) 1-1 goes to tiebreak (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hindustan Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Balance and calm key to Humpy's upturn
Mumbai:There was a certain air of calm and ease around Koneru Humpy during the damp days of 2025 Norway Chess. She did not mind sparing some time for a chat with the visiting Indian media – a rarity among players there. She was one of the more interactive and intriguingly enthusiastic participants for the off-beat games at a getaway on the tournament's first rest day. The mindset reflected in how the 38-year-old felt about her chess in the same tournament this year compared to the last, as well as the end result. For parts of the event that ran from May 26 to June 6, Humpy was the frontrunner in a strong six-woman field that included world classical champion Ju Wenjun, world No.3 Lei Tingjie and world No.6 Anna Muzychuk. The Indian world No.6 eventually signed off third, yet not before notching up three classical wins and five draws from 10 games. In 2024, she finished fifth with a solitary classical win and three defeats. Humpy's upturn at Norway Chess epitomized her classical fortunes over the past 18 months. If 2024 was a freefall – she dropped the most rating points last year, incidentally, at Norway Chess – in her classical form, 2025 has been upbeat so far. The ignition would come in the form of the world rapid title that Humpy reclaimed last December after a gap of five years. It also picked up her momentum in classical. She finished joint leader at the FIDE Grand Prix in Monaco and won the Pune Grand Prix in April coming into Norway Chess. Currently competing at the Cairns Cup in USA's St. Louis, Humpy is tied for the lead after seven rounds. 'I'm very happy with the results, especially the latest ones – winning the World Rapid title and Grand Prix in Pune,' Humpy said. 'I was not expecting to get the second world title. I wasn't doing well last year. I was underperforming in many tournaments. Norway Chess, especially, was disastrous for me last year. 'I lost my ratings heavily, and dropped down in the world rankings too. With my recent two Grand Prix performances, I've regained my ratings. But still, I want to improve it further.' Humpy is currently rated 2543 in classical, up from 2523 a few months ago. For someone who achieved her peak rating of 2623 way back in 2009, the 38-year-old still carries the eagerness to arrest the slide, steady things and continue the demanding climb back up. 'It's always about the fighting spirit, and about not accepting defeats,' she said. 'You want to prove to yourself more than anyone else that you are the best. And that's what keeps me going still.' There was a point last year, especially after tournaments like Norway Chess and Tata Steel ended in disappointments, that Humpy contemplated giving up playing chess professionally. But her preference of heading back home after every tournament to her family and daughter came in handy. Competing in back-to-back tournaments in Norway and USA, she said, is a rare exception. ''When I lose, I don't sign up (for tournaments) quickly. I take time to recover and to work more. Sometimes it's very hard to come back from some losses. But for me, it's a bit different compared to the youngsters because I have a family and a young kid at home. Once I go back home, I'm completely relaxed and out of this chess world,' she said. Stepping back and taking a pause from that world at times is something even Viswanathan Anand has advised the young Indian chess stars aiming for the sky. It's easier said than done for some but for Humpy, she finds as much happiness staying at home as she does competing for ratings and titles around the globe. Even though her father may still be hooked to online chess daily, Humpy ensures she doesn't look at chess when home, 'sometimes for weeks'. 'I enjoy when I'm playing, but when not, I'm completely switched off,' she said. 'Sometimes I desperately want to take a break because I enjoy my time at home and spending time with my kid. Even before the family, I wasn't a player who liked playing a lot of tournaments in a row. I like going back and analysing all my games and getting refreshed for a new tournament.' It's a routine the world rapid champion has had in place for years. Recently, there was a little shake up when her father began sharing chess videos with her which she made a point of watching. Routines can be tough to tweak, especially for a 38-year-old who has done things a certain way for years. Humpy, though, welcomed the change and new ways to learn even at this stage of her career. 'Recently I've started seeing more chess videos on the internet, and also solving puzzles on a daily basis,' she said. 'It was not my routine before. It was challenging at first, no doubt. But once I got used to it, I started enjoying it even more than the regular stuff.'
United News of India
11-06-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
SOGF to hold Grandmasters Series - South Zone 2, announces Koneru Humpy as Brand Ambassador
Chennai, June 11 (UNI) Announcing legendary Grandmaster Koneru Humpy as its Brand Ambassador to inspire and empower the next generation of Mind Sports enthusiasts, Skillhub Online Gaming Federation (SOGF) will be holding the SOG Grandmasters Series South Zone 2. The event will take place in Chennai on July one and two and would bring together the finest minds in Indian rummy and chess for an unforgettable celebration of skill, strategy, and sportsmanship. The event will consist of two tournaments, the Indian Rummy Grandmasters (IRG) for the Rummy enthusiasts and the Indian Chess Masters (ICM) and Indian Chess Masters for Blind (ICMB) for the chess enthusiasts, according to a press release. This event will be focused on people across Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Mr. Shankar Agarwal, President, SOGF, said, "We are thrilled to bring the SOG Grandmasters Series to Chennai, a city with a rich legacy in mind sports. Our goal is to provide a platform where talent meets opportunity, and legends inspire the next generation. What makes this event so special is the fact that we are also inviting young minds of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands & Pondicherry to participate and provide local youth and aspiring players with exposure to national-level competition, helping them develop critical thinking, strategic skills, and confidence.' Koneru Humpy said"It is an honor to be associated with the SOG Grandmasters Series. Events like these are crucial in promoting intellectual games and nurturing young talent across the country. I look forward to witnessing some exceptional performances and inspiring stories in Chennai." SOGF recently hosted the SOG Grandmasters Series Championship North & East Zone in Gurugram, which recorded registrations from over 1,50,000 participants nationwide. Following the overwhelming success of previous editions, the Chennai chapter promises to bring together the nation's brightest talents in rummy and chess for two days of electrifying competition and camaraderie. The SOG Grandmasters Series continues its mission of spotlighting skill-based games and nurturing a new generation of strategic thinkers. UNI GV
India Gazette
07-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
"India is getting many new and good players...": Norway Chess women's champion Anna Muzychuk
Stavanger [Norway], June 7 (ANI): Ukrainian Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk, who secured the women's title at Norway Chess, spoke on her victory and opened on playing Indian chess legend Koneru Humpy as a child. Anna secured her maiden Norway Chess title, drawing in both classical and armageddon against Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu, but it was still enough for her to seal the win with a total of 16.5 points, as per At the second spot was Lei Tingjie with 16 points while Humpy finished third with 15 points. With 11 points, Vaishali finished in fifth position. Speaking to ANI, Muzychuk said that, 'I am very happy. This tournament and this win mean a lot, and I think it is a great success.' On India's progress as a chess nation, Muzychuk said that while India is getting plenty of great players from the new generation, the older generation is still around and doing well. 'India is getting many new and good players from the new generation, but also from the older, like, Koneru Humpy. I played my first game with Koneru when I was seven years old and she was 10. It was 28 years ago... India is doing great in women's and men's competitions, and I think we will have many more players coming. It will always be challenging to play against them,' she concluded. Humpy, who finished third, did not beat grandmaster Ju Wenjun in the classical, but won the armageddon game, as per However, it was not enough for her to get the title. (ANI)
