📍 Batumi, Georgia — July 28, 2025
19-year-old Divya Deshmukh etched her name in chess history today, becoming the first Indian to win the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup, defeating fellow Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy in a dramatic tie-break finale.
The all-Indian clash lived up to its billing. After both classical games on Saturday and Sunday ended in hard-fought draws, the championship came down to rapid tie-breaks on Monday. The first rapid game also resulted in a stalemate, but Divya capitalized on a rare endgame blunder by Humpy in the second rapid to seal the match — and the title.
🏆 Grandmaster Glory
This stunning win not only earns Divya Deshmukh the 2025 World Cup title but also crowns her as India’s latest woman Grandmaster, joining an elite group that includes Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, and R. Vaishali.
An All-Indian Final to Remember
India’s dominance in women’s chess was on full display throughout the tournament. The final marked a symbolic passing of the torch from the veteran Humpy, who became a household name in Indian chess two decades ago, to the fiery young Deshmukh, who now takes her place among the greats.
Discover more from SparkMantis
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
