Divya Deshmukh (@fide_chess on x) New Delhi: It was one of the most important moments in the history of Indian female chess, not the most. Yet no one in the playing hall applauded when 19 -year -old Divya Deshmukh pipes of India women did not. 1 Grandmaster (GM) Humpy Konera to become the first Indian to win the title of Women’s World Cup on Monday in Batumi in Georgia.When the clocks ticked deeply into a quick break, Wonder, who plays black against the players twice her age, she kept his nerves in a tense end game.But like history, it was made, the hall remained almost empty: not by chance or lack of interest but regulation.Go beyond the border with our YouTube channel. Subscribe!As part of the FIDE standard protocol, as was the case during the tournament, viewers were only allowed inside the first 30 minutes of played games.As soon as this time has elapsed, the audience, including general viewers, players, media staff, coaches and team officials, was obliged to leave the playing arena to prevent potential interference or cheating, which is a standard procedure in Fide official events.During the rest of the game, only a few officials and referees were allowed to remain inside. According to the same rules, players are also asked to leave the playing hall as soon as the game is done.And so the decisive movements in Indian historical chess victories have become in an almost empty place.“Unfortunately, I could not witness the exact moments,” GM Shyam Sundar Mohanraj, Head of Delegation for the Indian Team in Batumi said, said Timesofindia.com. “I even had to get off. I got back to the room and saw (last moments) on YouTube.”The drama on the album, however, did not need any audience to be monumental.
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All three previous games between Divya and Humpy, two classic and one fast, ended up in the draws.The tension escalated towards the final fast break, while Divya had black pieces. Traditionally, a disadvantage, but on this day it turned out to be setting up her escape moment.“In both games, Divya showed great control,” Shyam Sundar analyzed. “The first break looked a little better for Humpy, but Wonder was still playing and tested. It wore Humpy down. After that she was in the pawn, but she didn’t have a clear plan. She was still putting pressure and eventually spoiled Humpy.Humpy for the first time after playing 40.e4 and 41.D5.Although she had a short chance to recover later, the combination of time and nerves proved to be fatal, with a mistake veteran 69.h7. Wonder, deployed on the 15th, closed the game in 75 movements to seal the title, and thus one of the greatest stories of Indian sport.“I honestly did not expect it to be completed,” Gm Shyam admitted.Read also: Banana survives in Batumi; India gets his first female world champion in Divya DeshmukhDespite entering the tournament without a GM norm, Wonder became the Indian 88. GM and only the fourth Indian woman who achieved this performance.“It is a kind of dream for any player in general to become GM. I don’t think she was expected to happen to GM within 15-20 days,” added Coach based in Chennai. “There will be no big pressure on it now that GM is now invited to the best tournaments, it gets better conditions, and most importantly, it will be for sure more.”From the victory of the Gold for India in the Chess Olympics 2024 to the crowned winner of the 2025 World Championship, the rise of the meteoric, but not sudden. “Its preparation, especially in the holes, was top,” said Shyam. “As soon as her position deteriorated, she didn’t give up easily. So all these things don’t happen in a day. It’s a fruit of continuous and consistent hard work she has done for several years. Now it’s clearly visible in her game.”When Divya created history, the silence of this hall was louder than any applause. The audience missed the last move, but India was not missing his moment.
