BATUMI (GEORGIA): Indian International Master Divya Deshmukh pulled off a major upset by defeating second seed Jiner Zhu of China in the first game of the pre-quarterfinals at the FIDE World Women’s Chess Cup on Wednesday.
Refreshed after the tournament’s first rest day, Divya displayed remarkable composure and strategy to outplay the significantly higher-rated Zhu. She now needs only a draw in the return leg to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
Zhu opted for the Sicilian Defense, but Divya’s original and aggressive approach in the center paid off. As the game progressed, Divya maintained control and gradually transitioned into a superior position. Zhu’s late attempt at counterplay backfired, allowing Divya to convert into a dominant queen and minor piece endgame. With her queen and knight combining effectively, Divya sealed a confident victory.
Meanwhile, India’s top-rated Grandmaster Koneru Humpy held former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk (now representing Switzerland) to a draw. Humpy, employing the Berlin Defense, maintained her footing despite a slight visual disadvantage and shared the point after a hard-fought game.
D. Harika also settled for a draw against Kateryna Lagno, who is playing under the FIDE flag. Harika sacrificed two pawns for dynamic play, relying on her bishop pair to compensate, and the game ended in a balanced result.
R. Vaishali played a solid game against Kazakhstan’s Meruert Kamalidenova. With limited opportunities arising from the opening and early exchanges of minor pieces, the match remained level, leading to a fair draw.
Among the other contenders, China’s top seed Tingjie Lei defeated Umida Omanova of Uzbekistan. Fellow Chinese players Zhongyi Tan and Yuxin Song also posted wins over Yulia Osmak (Ukraine) and Lela Javakhishvili (Georgia), respectively.
With four Indian and four Chinese players still in contention, the tournament is finely poised. The top three finishers will earn a spot in the next Women’s Candidates Tournament.
Each round, apart from the final, features two classical games. If the score is tied, rapid and blitz tiebreaks determine the winner.
Round 4, Game 1 Results:
R Vaishali (IND) drew with Meruert Kamalidenova (KAZ)
Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI) drew with Koneru Humpy (IND)
Kateryna Lagno (FIDE) drew with D Harika (IND)
Divya Deshmukh (IND) beat Jiner Zhu (CHN)
Tingjie Lei (CHN) beat Umida Omanova (UZB)
Yuxin Song (CHN) beat Lela Javakhishvili (GEO)
Mariya Muzychuk (UKR) drew with Nana Dzagnidze (GEO)
Zhongyi Tan (CHN) beat Yulia Osmak (UKR)
