In a landmark moment for Indian chess, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh etched her name in the record books by winning the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025, defeating seasoned Grandmaster Koneru Humpy in a thrilling final that went down to the wire.
The all-Indian final, which captivated the chess world, was decided in the tiebreaks after both players drew their classical games. Deshmukh clinched victory in the second rapid game, capitalising on a late error by Humpy and forcing her to resign on move 75.
With this win, Deshmukh becomes the first Indian ever to win the FIDE Women’s World Cup, and only the fourth Indian woman Grandmaster, following in the footsteps of Koneru Humpy, R. Vaishali, and Harika Dronavalli.
“It definitely means a lot,” an emotional Deshmukh said after her win. “I think it was fate that I get the GM title this way. Before this tournament, I didn’t even have one norm. I’m hoping this is just the start. There’s a lot more to achieve.”
Traditionally, the Grandmaster title requires players to earn three GM norms and cross a 2500 Elo rating. Deshmukh’s triumph at the World Cup has allowed her to bypass the usual route, becoming a Grandmaster through her historic achievement—a rarity in the chess world.
Despite a valiant effort by Humpy, the 36-year-old was unable to match the energy and tactical precision of her young opponent. Her misstep in the endgame of the second rapid proved decisive, as Deshmukh maintained composure under pressure to seal the championship.
