Rising chess star Divya Deshmukh has made waves at the FIDE Women’s World Cup, securing her spot in the quarterfinals after a thrilling victory against Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner.
Deshmukh’s Decisive Win
The 19-year-old Indian prodigy, Divya Deshmukh, clinched her place in the FIDE Women’s World Cup quarterfinals by overcoming Zhu Jiner. The crucial match was decided in the rapid tiebreaks, where Deshmukh dominated.
Divya secured Game 1 of the 25+10 rapid tiebreaks, then held her ground with a draw in Game 2. This impressive performance sealed her victory in the challenging round.
Prior to the tiebreak, Deshmukh had split the classical games with Zhu. She had defeated the world No. 6 in their first classical game with white pieces, but then lost the second game playing with black.
Humpy Also Advances
In parallel excitement, Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy also advanced to the quarterfinals. She successfully knocked out GM Alexandra Kosteniuk in her respective match.
Like Deshmukh’s match, Humpy’s classical games with Kosteniuk both ended in draws. Humpy then secured her spot by winning Game 1 of their 15+10 rapid tiebreaks and drawing Game 2.
Understanding the World Cup Format
The FIDE Women’s World Cup features an intense head-to-head elimination format. Each pairing begins with two classical games, where players alternate playing with white and black pieces over two days.
If there’s no clear winner after these two classical games, the battle moves to tiebreaks on the third day. Here, the time control for each game progressively reduces until a winner emerges.
The first stage of tiebreaks involves two games in the 15 minutes plus 10 seconds increment per move (15+10) format. If the players are still tied, they proceed to two games of 10 minutes plus 10 seconds increment (10+10).
Should the deadlock persist, the time further reduces to five minutes plus three seconds increment (5+3). Finally, if a winner is still not determined, the match enters a sudden-death phase: a single game of three minutes plus two seconds increment (3+2). This 3+2 game is played repeatedly until one player triumphs.
What’s at Stake?
Beyond the glory of the title, the FIDE Women’s World Cup holds significant implications for the participants. The top three finishers in this prestigious tournament will earn a coveted spot in next year’s Women’s Candidates tournament.
The Women’s Candidates tournament is the ultimate stepping stone for players hoping to challenge the reigning Women’s World Champion for the highest title in women’s chess.
- Divya Deshmukh, 19, defeated Zhu Jiner to reach the FIDE Women’s World Cup quarterfinals.
- She won Game 1 of the rapid tiebreaks (25+10) and drew Game 2 to secure the match.
- Koneru Humpy also advanced to the quarterfinals, defeating Alexandra Kosteniuk.
- The tournament format includes classical games followed by multiple rounds of rapid and blitz tiebreaks if needed.
- The top three finishers secure a spot in the Women’s Candidates tournament.
With two Indian stars advancing, the excitement for the upcoming rounds of the FIDE Women’s World Cup continues to build, as players battle for the prestigious title and a shot at the World Championship.
