Seizing an unexpected opportunity with determination, 17-year-old Women’s Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh emerged victorious in the women’s rapid category at the Tata Steel Chess India tournament, held at Bhasha Bhawan within the National Library of India campus. Divya’s participation was a last-minute addition, filling in for WGM MR Vaishali, and her performance left chess enthusiasts in awe.
Divya, a former national champion and a member of the Online Chess Olympiad team in 2020, displayed remarkable consistency throughout the three-day tournament. After four consecutive wins, she drew her game against GM Anna Ushenina in the first match of the day. This set the stage for a thrilling competition, as Women’s World Champion GM Ju Wenjun closed in on the top spot with a victory over GM Nino Batsiashvili.
Despite being the lowest-rated player among the ten participants, Divya faced her first setback in the eighth round, losing to IM Polina Shuvalova. This allowed China’s Ju to catch up with her before the ninth and final round.
In a dramatic finish, Divya, hailing from Nagpur, displayed exceptional skill by defeating India’s No. 1 women’s player, GM Koneru Humpy, with the black pieces. Her daring move to sacrifice her rook in order to create a passed pawn proved to be the game-changer, securing her victory. However, she had to await the outcome of Ju’s match against GM Anna Ushenina, which ended in a draw, leading to Divya’s coronation as the champion.
Divya concluded the tournament with seven points, including six wins, two draws, and one loss, while Ju finished just half a point behind her.
An emotional Divya, overwhelmed by her achievement, expressed, “I am trying so hard not to cry.”
In the final standings, D Harika secured the fourth position with 4.5 points, while Vantika Agarwal, who had been a joint leader after Day I along with Humpy, finished with four points each.
Divya Deshmukh’s remarkable performance in the Tata Steel Chess India tournament serves as a testament to her skill and determination, leaving a lasting mark on the chess world.
