India’s long-awaited crowning at the FIDE Women’s World Cup was delayed by one more game as Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh settled for an intense 41-move draw in the opening clash of the all-Indian final on Saturday.
The game, played under classical format, ended in a draw after Humpy sacrificed her rook to force perpetual checks, neutralising Divya’s attacking chances in a queen-and-rook endgame. With the two-game mini-match format in play, all eyes now turn to Game 2 on Sunday, where a win for either will secure the title. If the deadlock persists, the winner will be decided via rapid and blitz tiebreakers.
Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, history is already scripted, the World Cup will see its first Indian champion. For 19-year-old International Master Divya Deshmukh, Saturday’s result showcased her fearless preparation and maturity against Humpy, a two-time World Rapid Champion and the country’s most experienced campaigner.
Opening drama and missed chances
Playing white, Divya launched into an aggressive line early on, sacrificing a pawn by the 7th move, a decision Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay believes stemmed from thorough home preparation. “On move 7, Divya made her aggressive intentions clear by offering another pawn, which looked like home preparation. Humpy made a practical decision to avoid taking the pawn,” Thipsay observed.
Humpy chose the Queen’s Gambit Accepted and responded cautiously, but an early retreat of her centralised knight gave Divya a promising edge. “Instead of developing the undeveloped knight, Humpy retreated the centralised knight on move 10, giving a huge positional advantage to Divya,” Thipsay noted.
Also read: FIDE Women’s World Cup will have Indian winner for first time
Opportunities followed swiftly, but Divya, despite her pressure, missed a critical continuation by delaying a crushing queen move. “Divya could have gained a significant positional advantage on the 12th move by moving a rook but chose to attack the king side by sacrificing a piece instead,” Thipsay analysed. Humpy erred again by castling kingside rather than seeking shelter on the queen’s wing, but defended tenaciously thereafter.
By the 14th move, the teenager had the upper hand. “On move 14, Divya could have launched a crushing attack by developing her queen to threaten a mate. Instead, she chose to exchange a pair of bishops first,” Thipsay explained. That gave Humpy just enough time to consolidate.
Calculated endgame and final balance
The match progressed into a tense queen-and-two-rooks ending, with both players hunting imbalances and attacking chances. While Divya continued to press ambitiously, Humpy’s precise defence led to a series of checks that forced a draw by repetition.
“The game saw an extremely sharp battle ending in a draw in 41 moves… Divya continued to play ambitiously and tried to attack Humpy’s king, but Humpy defended accurately,” Thipsay concluded.
Sunday’s decider will determine the champion, but both players now enter with equal momentum and the psychological weight of fine margins hanging over their preparations.
Third-place playoff ends quietly
Elsewhere, the all-Chinese third-place playoff between former world champion Zhongyi Tan and top seed Lei Tingjie also concluded in a draw. Playing the Queen’s Gambit Declined, neither player showed appetite for major risk following their semi-final exits. They agreed to share points while still in the middlegame.
With Indians occupying both top spots in the competition, both Divya and Humpy have secured qualification for the next Women’s Candidates Tournament. The third-placed player will also receive a berth in the 2026 edition of the premier event.
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