Chess
FIDE Women's World Cup: Humpy escapes as Divya lets advantage slip in first game
Both finalists head into the second game tied at ½–½, while Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi also drew in the third-place match.
When Koneru Humpy (right) became the world’s youngest and India’s first woman GM in 2002, Divya Deshmukh (left) was not even born. (Photo credit: FIDE)
India’s teenage prodigy IM Divya Deshmukh came agonizingly close to toppling GM Koneru Humpy, only for the veteran to escape with a draw in the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup Final.
Both players now head into the second classical game on Sunday with the score tied 0.5-0.5.
The encounter between the two Indians wasn’t short on fireworks.
Divya, playing with white pieces, entered an extremely sharp line and gained a dominant position as early as move 10. She even sacrificed a piece to push for a win, showcasing both courage and preparation.
But despite having several promising continuations, including a missed tactical blow in the 14th move and she let the advantage slip.
The game eventually transitioned into a tense heavy-piece endgame. Despite being under time pressure, both players chose to continue rather than settle for an early truce.
Humpy, with less than ten minutes on the clock, declined a repetition and dug in. Divya, down to her final two minutes, played on as well before the two eventually split the point.
In the post-game interview, Humpy reflected on the complications with characteristic calm. She admitted her move 13 was suboptimal and intuitively sensed she had erred. However, she also correctly assessed that three moves later she had navigated into safety.
Meanwhile, in the third-place playoff between GM Lei Tingjie and GM Tan Zhongyi, crucial for qualification to the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, another draw played out. Though Lei had seized a significant advantage on the kingside after a quiet start, she surprisingly accepted a draw offer on move 43 while still in a better position.
The next round of classical games will be decisive: a win for either finalist would seal the title, while a victory in the third-place match guarantees a Candidates berth. If Sunday’s games are drawn, the battles will extend into tiebreaks the following day.
