When the weakest piece on the chessboard, the pawn on the f-file, broke freed from its shackles and marched ahead, there was little anybody might do to cease it. The appropriate hand from throughout the board reached out, not for a counter, however to concede defeat.
This time, there was no rush to cease the clock because it ticked away. The opponent had already left the spot, forsaking a teary-eyed 19-year-old woman, her fingers trembling, having simply skilled the best afternoon of her younger chess profession.
That woman was Divya Deshmukh. She took a gulp of water, steadying herself, earlier than letting the second sink in. Her eyes darted round, looking for her mom, after which got here the outpouring of emotion. The 25 relentless days of steady chess, and the unyielding stress, had lastly led to one thing extraordinary.
🇮🇳 Divya Deshmukh defeats Humpy Koneru 🇮🇳 to win the 2025 FIDE Girls’s World Cup 🏆#FIDEWorldCup @DivyaDeshmukh05 pic.twitter.com/KzO2MlC0FC
— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 28, 2025
Divya had simply defeated Koneru Humpy, twice her age and essentially the most dominant pressure in Indian ladies’s chess for greater than twenty years, within the remaining of the FIDE Girls’s World Cup. The title introduced many firsts for the woman from Nagpur. Not solely has she secured a spot within the 2026 Candidates Event, but in addition turns into solely the fourth feminine Grandmaster from India.
What made the feat much more exceptional was that Divya didn’t have a single GM norm forward of the World Cup, nor did she meet the required score (an ordinary 2500) to be eligible for the coveted title. But, by successful this elite occasion, she bypassed all the standard FIDE necessities, rising as India’s 88th Grandmaster and the forty fourth feminine Grandmaster on this planet.
Divya Deshmukh created historical past by changing into the first-ever Indian lady to win the FIDE Girls’s World Cup remaining (PHOTO: FIDE/Anna Shtourman)
What she has achieved signifies Divya’s unshakable confidence in her talents. What might need appeared like youthful exuberance on the expense of expertise at first look was, in reality, a meticulous technique as she steered the ultimate in direction of shorter time controls, avoiding dropping the sting in Classical chess, the place she had by no means defeated her senior compatriot.
Holding fort
Divya might have gained the primary Classical sport with white items however fell quick, failing to capitalise on each her benefit and Humpy’s errors. This meant Humpy would play with white within the second Classical sport, a first-rate alternative to settle the match decisively.
But, Divya staged a masterclass in defence, forcing the competition into fast tie-breaks the place she in the end delivered the ultimate blow.
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So what makes Divya such a particular expertise? Or slightly, how did she realise her true potential? Ask her former coach RB Ramesh, and he’ll level to 2 issues: confidence and age.
Divya Deshmukh reacts after successful her second tiebreak sport towards Koneru Humpy within the FIDE Girls’s World Cup at Batumi. (PHOTO: FIDE/Anna Shtourman)
“She is youthful than somebody like Vaishali (Rameshbabu) and Vantika (Agrawal) and, I might say, essentially the most assured of the lot,” Ramesh advised The Indian Categorical.
“She has been a assured woman from a really younger age. She didn’t have that unfavorable facet to her, the one which tends to create self-doubt. That inside chatter that wrecks issues, luckily, was lacking in her.”
In response to him, Divya already possesses the power of a Grandmaster, and is consistently evolving. Ramesh even predicts that she might change into India’s strongest feminine participant. “She will be able to attain a 2650 score.”
“I believe it’s destiny, me getting the Grandmaster title this manner” – 🇮🇳 Divya Deshmukh, winner of the 2025 FIDE Girls’s World Cup! 🏆#FIDEWorldCup @DivyaDeshmukh05 pic.twitter.com/WB2GM7ha7d
— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 28, 2025
For context, Humpy’s peak classical chess score was 2623.
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Describing her taking part in model, Ramesh calls Divya “ultra-aggressive” on the board, drawing parallels with Russian-French legend Alexander Alekhine, arguably essentially the most attacking participant in chess historical past.
Might such aggression backfire? Ramesh doesn’t assume so.
As dangerous because it generally might be to match sportspersons from totally different sports activities, it’s crucial to grasp the mindset behind being defensive or aggressive.
“There are gamers who keep away from threat, preferring stable, regular play… like Rahul Dravid in cricket. Then there are those that go on the assault. Divya belongs to the latter class,” says the chess coach.
Psychological fortitude
Delving deeper into Divya’s psychological fortitude, GM Abhijeet Kunte observes: “I believe it’s very uncommon. Distinctive gamers carry out properly in each beneficial and antagonistic conditions. Many crumble beneath stress; others fail to transform benefits. However Divya isn’t like that. When pressured, she defends tenaciously. But when forward, she avoids time bother whereas sustaining her edge. She’s very intelligent in her strategy. That type of maturity may be very uncommon to see at such a younger age.”
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Divya’s aggressive model typically mirrors that of somebody like fellow Indian GM Nihal Sarin, whereas her never-say-die angle, the refusal to just accept attracts and the power to “squeeze water from stone” will remind one in all D. Gukesh’s relentless play.
Even five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand isn’t shocked by her World Cup triumph.
“She’s somebody who has a variety of potential, so I wouldn’t say that is sudden. However folks had been ready for this, and it’s good that she’s delivered,” Anand advised The Indian Categorical.
Ramesh additionally believes that Divya has a real shot on the Ju Wenjun’s FIDE Girls’s World Championship crown.
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“She wants to boost her stage by about 100 score factors, after which she’ll be a transparent favorite. She must put in double the quantity of labor she is placing in now as she certified for the Candidates, and at her age, that’s completely achievable,” he asserts.
Whereas the thought may appear far-fetched for now, Divya could in the future emulate Gukesh’s historic achievement at chess’ pinnacle. However for now, as she herself stated, all that the younger champion craves is a few good meals and well-earned relaxation.