History was created by 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh as she pipped veteran grandmaster Koneru Humpy in a cliff-hanger conclusion to become the 2025 FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup champion. The encounter was a cliff-hanger encounter in Batumi, Georgia, where both sides drew the classical games and proceeded to resolve the tiebreaks. In a display of clinical skill and strategic brilliance in a class, Divya Deshmukh became the World Cup champion, and with that, gained the much-awaited title of Grandmaster. A victory as close as it was historic Indian chess on the world stage. Worthy enough to reach the pinnacle of glory.
From being the 15th seed among 107 players of the knock-out round, Divya Deshmukh showed maturity and determination to attempt at this stage of the tournament when there were still enough games remaining.
Her path to the final was marked by upsets of higher rated players, and it speaks volumes about her growing popularity among the chess fraternity. Her adaptability in styles—classical, rapid, and blitz—was evident in all the games. Divya Deshmukh had already earned qualification for the following Women’s Candidates Tournament by reaching the semi-finals but now championship called to her. The Classical Games: A Tactical Deadlock It was a closely contested match against seasoned campaigner and past World Rapid Champion, Koneru Humpy. Classical games were being drawn out of fought-for positions. In the first game, Divya Deshmukh was tense and game two had split seconds at Humpy’s disposal but not the composure to use them. The two draws proved the magnitude of mental strength of the pair and set the platform for a nerve-wracking tiebreak.
Rapid Tiebreaks: Divya’s golden moment
The two rapid tiebreak games were the clincher.
The initial game of the blitz games (15+10), Diviva Deshmukh fought through an extremely protracted, tiring endgame of more than 80 moves.
The second game, though, would be etched in chess history. As Black, Diviva Deshmukh benefited from a strange mistake on the part of Koneru Humpy, as she under-estimated an advance pawn in the middle. The debacle offered Diviva a material and positional advantage, which she played so skillfully. Humpy stepped down on move 75, outscoring Divya Deshmukh’s tiebreaks 1.5–0.5 and winning the new Women’s World Cup Championship title. A Grandmaster Title and National Record Divya Deshmukh was awarded Grandmaster status by the win, India’s 88th GM and fourth Indian female to achieve the distinction. That places her as the youngest Indian female to achieve that distinction with a World Cup victory. It’s not solely an issue of personal achievement—India’s first Women’s World Championship. Indian sports idols and chess queens of India welcomed and toasted her as a moment of history for Indian women’s chess across the nation.
Impact on Indian Chess and the Future
A fresh new chapter unfolds in the history of Indian chess with the coming of Divya Deshmukh.
Her shooting, strategic insight, and meteoric rise have made her the face of India’s new crop of players who are redefining the sport in the nation.
Her success, as a testament to the dynamism of the country, also has the added benefit of delivering eyeballs and being a role model for future generations of athletes, particularly women athletes. Her qualification for the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament positions her as a powerful force within the international world of chess, and positions her as a possible future candidate for Women’s World Champion. Conclusion Divya Deshmukh’s record-breaking defeat of Koneru Humpy at the 2025 FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup isn’t just a tournament win—it’s an Indian chess milestone.
Her crisis management, her strategic thinking, and her iron will are an indicator of a future champion. Being the youngest Indian woman to have earned the distinction of becoming a Grandmaster by winning such a very low-level tournament, Divya Deshmukh set up a new record of success and ambition. She is in infant phases in life as a player but she already has established that she is one of the world’s top players.
About the Author
Abhishek Roy
Abhishek Roy is a Managing Editor at Business Minds Media India
