Divya Deshmukh Creates History: First Indian to Reach FIDE Women’s World Cup Final

India’s teenage chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh has scripted history by becoming the first Indian ever to reach the final of the FIDE Women’s World Cup, one of the most prestigious events in the women’s chess calendar and a key part of the World Championship cycle.

The 19-year-old achieved this landmark feat by defeating former World Champion Tan Zhongyi of China in the semifinal clash held in Batumi, Georgia, on Wednesday.

In the two-game semifinal, Divya held Tan to a draw with black pieces in the first game, before outplaying her in the second with white pieces, securing a 1.5-0.5 victory. The second game saw Divya employ the aggressive and unorthodox Alapin variation of the Sicilian Defense — a sharp and tactical opening that allowed for dynamic play and showcased her fearless approach.

This monumental win not only took Divya into the final of the Women’s World Cup but also earned her a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which decides the challenger for the Women’s World Championship title (currently held by China’s Ju Wenjun). Additionally, the victory awarded her first Grandmaster (GM) norm, a significant step toward earning the highest title in chess. A GM norm is a benchmark performance against top-level opponents; a player must achieve three norms and cross a 2500 rating to officially become a Grandmaster.

With this, Divya edges closer to becoming only the fourth Indian woman to achieve the GM title, joining the elite ranks of Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, and R. Vaishali.

Her journey to the final has been nothing short of sensational. In earlier rounds, she knocked out second seed Zhu Jiner of China in Round 4 and went on to eliminate compatriot Harika Dronavalli in a dramatic quarterfinal tiebreak. Harika, India’s No. 2 and a trailblazer in Indian women’s chess, had reached the quarterfinals in 2023 — the first Indian woman to do so — but the 34-year-old couldn’t hold off Divya’s attacking prowess.

Divya now awaits her opponent in the final — the winner of the second semifinal between India’s No. 1 Koneru Humpy and top seed Lei Tingjie of China. Their tightly contested clash saw two classical draws, pushing the match into tiebreaks, which are rapid or blitz games used to determine a winner when standard (classical) games are drawn.

Importantly, with Divya already through, India now has the potential to field two players in the Candidates Tournament. If Humpy manages to reach the final, she too will earn a direct qualification. However, even if she loses the semifinal, Humpy will still have another chance to qualify through alternative paths in the World Championship cycle.

The FIDE Women’s World Cup serves as the primary qualification event for the Candidates Tournament, offering three spots. The other qualification avenues include the Women’s Grand Prix Series 2024–25 and the Women’s Grand Swiss, which offer two spots each, while the final slot goes to the best performer from the FIDE Women’s Events 2025–26 series.

The winner of the Candidates Tournament will earn the right to challenge the reigning Women’s World Champion, making Divya’s breakthrough not just historic, but potentially a stepping stone toward a world title challenge — a dream that has eluded Indian women so far at the highest level of classical chess.

Explore more on UPSC Content

Click for Daily Quotes:

Stay updated with the latest news by joining our Telegram channel – The PRESS Pad , and follow us on Instagram and X