Latest news with #Women'sCandidatesTournament
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Divya Deshmukh springs another surprise stunning Harika to be in semis
Slowly but surely emerging as one of India's key players, International Master Divya Deshmukh stunned higher-ranked compatriot Harika Dronavalli 2-0 in the tiebreaks to enter the semifinals of the FIDE World Women's Chess Cup here. After two uneventful draws in the classical games, the pressure was on Harika in the rapid tiebreaks. Divya capitalised with a determined performance to win the first game, before sealing the match in the second as Harika, in a must-win situation, overpressed in search of a miracle that never came. While Harika has been a semifinalist on three different occasions in a similar format which was then called the world women's championship, Humpy and now Divya have become the two Indians who made it to the semis of the women's world cup as this is a part of the new world championship cycle. This also means that one Indian entry is assured in the Women's Candidates Tournament slated sometime next year, which will decide who will contest the world championship match against incumbent Ju Wenjun of China. Highest-ranked Indian for over a decade, Koneru Humpy is already in the last four for the first time in her career, and this is one title that has eluded her all these years. With Divya Deshmukh joining her as the other semi-finalist, it shows a paradigm shift in Indian women's chess too, where the boys have largely been making hay. Divya employed the Italian Opening in the first game and gave nothing away. Harika was outdone in the middlegame while trying to find some serious counterplay but ended up miscalculating, which cost her the queen for two white pieces. The rest was easy for Divya, who has now established herself as a force to reckon with in women's chess. In the return game, Harika had to win, but again Divya was up to the task in defence. It is well known that Harika adores her chances in faster versions, but against Divya she did not get many. It was a picturesque finish in the end that closed the doors for Harika. In the semifinals, Humpy will meet top seed Lei Tingjie of China, while Divya will face former women's world champion Tan Zhongyi, also of China.
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Divya Deshmukh springs another surprise to be in semis
Slowly but surely emerging as one of India's key players, International Master Divya Deshmukh stunned higher-ranked compatriot Harika Dronavalli 2-0 in the tiebreaks to enter the semifinals of the FIDE World Women's Chess Cup here. After two uneventful draws in the classical games, the pressure was on Harika in the rapid tiebreaks. Divya capitalised with a determined performance to win the first game, before sealing the match in the second as Harika, in a must-win situation, overpressed in search of a miracle that never came. While Harika has been a semifinalist on three different occasions in a similar format which was then called the world women's championship, Humpy and now Divya have become the two Indians who made it to the semis of the women's world cup as this is a part of the new world championship cycle. This also means that one Indian entry is assured in the Women's Candidates Tournament slated sometime next year, which will decide who will contest the world championship match against incumbent Ju Wenjun of China. Highest-ranked Indian for over a decade, Koneru Humpy is already in the last four for the first time in her career, and this is one title that has eluded her all these years. With Divya Deshmukh joining her as the other semi-finalist, it shows a paradigm shift in Indian women's chess too, where the boys have largely been making hay. Divya employed the Italian Opening in the first game and gave nothing away. Harika was outdone in the middlegame while trying to find some serious counterplay but ended up miscalculating, which cost her the queen for two white pieces. The rest was easy for Divya, who has now established herself as a force to reckon with in women's chess. In the return game, Harika had to win, but again Divya was up to the task in defence. It is well known that Harika adores her chances in faster versions, but against Divya she did not get many. It was a picturesque finish in the end that closed the doors for Harika. In the semifinals, Humpy will meet top seed Lei Tingjie of China, while Divya will face former women's world champion Tan Zhongyi, also of China.
News18
a day ago
- Sport
- News18
Divya Deshmukh springs another surprise to be in semis
Batumi (Georgia), Jul 21 (PTI) Slowly but surely emerging as one of India's key players, International Master Divya Deshmukh stunned higher-ranked compatriot Harika Dronavalli 2-0 in the tiebreaks to enter the semifinals of the FIDE World Women's Chess Cup here. After two uneventful draws in the classical games, the pressure was on Harika in the rapid tiebreaks. Divya capitalised with a determined performance to win the first game, before sealing the match in the second as Harika, in a must-win situation, overpressed in search of a miracle that never came. While Harika has been a semifinalist on three different occasions in a similar format which was then called the world women's championship, Humpy and now Divya have become the two Indians who made it to the semis of the women's world cup as this is a part of the new world championship cycle. This also means that one Indian entry is assured in the Women's Candidates Tournament slated sometime next year, which will decide who will contest the world championship match against incumbent Ju Wenjun of China. Highest-ranked Indian for over a decade, Koneru Humpy is already in the last four for the first time in her career, and this is one title that has eluded her all these years. With Divya Deshmukh joining her as the other semi-finalist, it shows a paradigm shift in Indian women's chess too, where the boys have largely been making hay. Divya employed the Italian Opening in the first game and gave nothing away. Harika was outdone in the middlegame while trying to find some serious counterplay but ended up miscalculating, which cost her the queen for two white pieces. The rest was easy for Divya, who has now established herself as a force to reckon with in women's chess. In the return game, Harika had to win, but again Divya was up to the task in defence. It is well known that Harika adores her chances in faster versions, but against Divya she did not get many. It was a picturesque finish in the end that closed the doors for Harika. In the semifinals, Humpy will meet top seed Lei Tingjie of China, while Divya will face former women's world champion Tan Zhongyi, also of China. PTI Cor ATK view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 22:15 IST 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.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
India sensation Divya Deshmukh in emotional turmoil after FIDE Women's World Cup quarter-final win
Divya Deshmukh (Screengrab) Indian chess sensation Divya Deshmukh experienced a whirlwind of emotions as she stormed into the FIDE Women's World Cup semifinals with a brilliant 2-0 tie-break victory over compatriot Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli. After sealing the win, the 19-year-old prodigy covered her face with her hands, taking a moment to steady herself even as her opponent left the playing area – a clear sign of the immense pressure and excitement of the occasion. Divya's triumph sets up a thrilling semifinal clash against China's Tan Zhongyi, a former world champion. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Her composed yet aggressive play in the tie-breaks showcased her growing maturity on the international stage, marking one of the biggest victories of her young career. Watch: The all-Indian quarterfinal clash between Divya and Harika had been a tense affair. Both players had drawn their classical games, forcing the battle into tie-breakers where Divya's sharp calculations and fearless approach earned her a straight-set victory. With this result, India will now have two players in the semifinals, as Grandmaster Koneru Humpy also advanced. Earlier, Humpy secured her spot in the last four by drawing her second game against China's Yuxin Song, having already won the first. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ready for a Glow-Up? [Get Your Reading Now] Learn More Undo Humpy, who displayed an exceptional counterattacking style, has now guaranteed at least a fourth-place finish. She will have two opportunities to secure a top-three finish and book her place in the next Women's Candidates Tournament. How a Chess Game Trapped a King: Sadhguru on the Miracle of Mind On the other hand, R Vaishali's campaign came to an end after a hard-fought loss to Tan Zhongyi. Despite holding promising positions, a few inaccuracies allowed Tan to take control. Alongside Tan, top seed Lei Tingjie of China also progressed by defeating Georgia's Nana Dzagnidze. With Divya and Humpy in the semifinals, Indian chess is enjoying a historic moment, and all eyes will be on Divya as she takes on Tan Zhongyi for a spot in the final. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
News18
2 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Koneru Humpy Makes History! Becomes First Indian Woman To...
Having won the first game with the white pieces, Humpy needed only a draw in the second to move forward—and she delivered under pressure, navigating a complex battle to wrap up the match 1.5–0.5. Humpy One Step from Candidates Qualification By reaching the semifinals, Humpy is now guaranteed at least a fourth-place finish. That gives her two opportunities to secure a top-three spot, which would qualify her for the next Women's Candidates Tournament—a key step on the road to the World Championship. The all-Indian quarterfinal between Grandmaster D Harika and International Master Divya Deshmukh ended in a draw on Sunday, meaning the match will be decided via rapid and blitz tie-break games scheduled for Monday. Like their first encounter, Sunday's game reached a drawn rook-and-pawn endgame after Harika opted for a solid approach with the white pieces. The balanced result sets the stage for an intense final showdown to decide who joins Humpy in the semifinals. Grandmaster R Vaishali's campaign came to an end as she lost to former Women's World Champion Tan Zhongyi of China. Vaishali had drawn the first game but suffered defeat in the second, thus losing the match 0.5–1.5. Although Vaishali managed to reach a promising position in the middlegame, a single misstep gave Tan the initiative. Despite some late chances, Vaishali was unable to find the precise moves needed to save the game. China's top seed Tingjie Lei also advanced to the semifinals with a clean 2–0 win over Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia, joining compatriot Tan and Humpy in the final four. Yuxin Song needed a win to stay in contention and chose the Jobava London System, a modern and aggressive opening favored by many top players. Humpy calmly neutralized the early initiative and then boldly sacrificed two pawns to shift the momentum. Despite having some positional hopes, Song's compromised pawn structure—three pawns stacked on one file—left her vulnerable. Humpy counterattacked effectively in the center, regained the sacrificed material, and steered the game into a balanced rook-and-pawn endgame. Song pressed for 53 moves but could not break through, eventually accepting the draw that sealed her elimination. Quarterfinal Results
