Grandmaster Koneru Humpy made a brilliant comeback in the FIDE Women's World Cup semi-final, defeating China's Tingjie Lei in a tiebreaker to secure her place in the final.
FIDE Women World Cup 2025: Two b Indian chess players will face each other in the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025. Grandmaster Koneru Humpy and International Master Divya Deshmukh have secured their places in the final by defeating their respective Chinese opponents in the semi-finals. In this historic match, for the first time, two Indian women chess players will face each other for the title of FIDE Women's World Cup.
Humpy's Remarkable Comeback in Tiebreak
Koneru Humpy's semi-final match was against China's b player, Tingjie Lei. The initial two classical games ended in a draw. After this, the match went into a tiebreak, in which the first set of two games of 15-15 minutes also resulted in no outcome. Then, when the set of 10-10 minute games started, Lei won the first game, and it seemed that Humpy's path could be difficult.
But it was from here that Humpy made a brilliant comeback. She changed her strategy in the second game and displayed a b game, winning the game and leveling the score.
Humpy's Experience Showcased in the Third Set
In the third set of the tiebreak, Humpy, playing with white pieces, made an aggressive start. She outplayed Lei in every aspect, winning the first game. After this, she only needed a draw to reach the final, but Humpy converted that into a win as well, showcasing her excellent form. This victory was not only a ticket to the final but also a testament to her experience, patience, and depth of play.
In the second match of the semi-finals, International Master Divya Deshmukh entered the final by defeating former world champion Zhongyi Tan. Divya's victory was very special because she defeated China's second-seeded player, Zoner Zhu, and India's own Grandmaster D. Harika in the quarter-finals to reach this stage.
The match against Tan lasted for 101 moves, and in this thrilling game, Divya strengthened her position with patience and accuracy and finally achieved victory. This match was a great example of her chess skills, mental strength, and tactical understanding.
Both Players Qualify for Women's Candidates Tournament
Upon reaching the final, Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh have both also qualified for the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament to be held next year. This tournament will determine the new contender to challenge the current Women's World Champion, Wenjun Ju. For Indian chess lovers, this is like a dream come true, where both finalists are from India and have joined the race to become the world champion in the future.
The final of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 is going to be a golden chapter in Indian chess history. On one hand, there is Koneru Humpy, who has been the face of Indian chess for a long time, and on the other hand, there is Divya Deshmukh, who is emerging as the hope of the new generation.
