This Indian Teen Is One Win Away From Chess History — After Stunning the World No. 2 at FIDE World Cup

This Indian Teen Is One Win Away From Chess History —After Stunning the World No. 2 at FIDE World Cup

By Shivani Gupta 17 July 2025

[{"selector":"#anim-46252dda-10c2-404d-99b0-851612dd67f3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30bcb704-c2fc-4d3e-96b4-775593ef8702","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 136.50098%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Batumi, Georgia | 16 July 2025 India’s rising chess star, Divya Deshmukh, took on World No. 2 Zhu Jiner in the FIDE Women’s World Cup pre-quarters.

[{"selector":"#anim-105b8d38-9bb0-4f23-afdf-055279ca215d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bda2f1c2-fe12-4e55-8626-dd0d2080d466","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 171.80473%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] With calm precision and the white pieces, the 18-year-old outplayed her seasoned Chinese rival — taking a 1-0 lead in the two-game match.

[{"selector":"#anim-f36df4fb-ab8f-49fd-895a-a30afbd1f13f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-489baa35-b02f-45ad-80f3-bca3686cb593","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 182.20012%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] One draw now stands between Divya and a historic milestone — becoming only the 2nd Indian woman to reach the quarterfinals, after Harika Dronavalli in 2023.

[{"selector":"#anim-633303f7-8a99-45dc-8d5e-9b749c11aadb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ec8b79e-1f4d-4919-a5ea-26a1167baa60","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.05555%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The FIDE Women’s World Cup isn’t just any tournament. Top 3 players qualify for the 2026 Women’s Candidates — a direct path to the World Championship.

[{"selector":"#anim-c9ced597-2eec-4daf-ba0e-397419d527fa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-391949d9-1583-4635-b226-7788770f0442","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 160.6238%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Divya’s no stranger to stunning wins. She earlier defeated World No. 1 Hou Yifan at the Blitz Championship in London — earning praise from the Prime Minister.

[{"selector":"#anim-26a89c8f-5164-4724-85fb-efc60355a961","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7937da85-0309-468b-8980-3b75d9aef1ad","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 203.54815%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Her chess journey began in Nagpur, Maharashtra, while tagging along to her sister’s badminton class.

[{"selector":"#anim-f0ebfbf7-36ea-423f-b15e-0a9b0fd5e745","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d10c88cd-b7ff-4304-818f-4c5c53d17236","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 134.81051%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Her chess journey began in Nagpur, Maharashtra, while tagging along to her sister’s badminton class. She was just 5.

[{"selector":"#anim-457d52e8-b77c-472f-869d-8b16e905c830","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84afb10f-46f8-44f1-9138-b06389575d5c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 182.20012%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Mentored by Grandmaster RB Ramesh at Chennai’s Chess Gurukul, Divya shone early — winning national and world youth titles.

[{"selector":"#anim-4f6e51ca-4e18-4af7-963c-150c79b81cfe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-115fa4fc-ec52-4753-8ed3-7264d540cc7d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 179.89721%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] By 2021, she became a Woman Grandmaster. In 2023, she added another feather — the International Master title.

[{"selector":"#anim-702424e6-8f69-46a4-9ebc-836039e85e20","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c76cf4f-12f5-4e97-9d77-d86b3d211650","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 182.20012%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Most recently, at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. Divya helped Team India clinch gold — a proud moment for the country.

[{"selector":"#anim-0746413f-8eec-4dc0-ab4d-30eada0276ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-869fd4c7-00e2-4ae7-b7ef-371aab5069ae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 211.68913%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] All eyes are now on Divya as she gears up for her next big game. Good luck, champ — India is cheering for you!