Batumi
The second round of the FIDE Women's World Cup also ended in a draw. Two of India's finest talents, Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh, settled for a hard-fought draw. The scoreboard read 1/2 - 1/2.
Now, both players will lock horns in a tiebreaker, which will decide the tournament champion. This match will take place on Monday, July 28, at 12:00 local time.
Earlier, the opening game of the FIDE Women's World Cup final saw two of India's finest talents, Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh, settle for a hard-fought draw. The scoreboard read 1/2 - 1/2.
On one side sat Humpy, a seasoned campaigner and one of India's greatest ever chess players. At 38, she remains calm and patient, possessing an incredible ability to endure long, pressure-filled games without breaking down. Across the board, 18-year-old Divya Deshmukh, full of fire and fearless intent, brought her trademark attacking flair. A product of the new generation, Divya has risen rapidly in the chess world and is seen as one of the brightest young minds in the sport.
Regardless of who becomes the champion, history will be made for Indian chess in Batumi. This will be India's first world title in women's chess.
India's Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh entered the final, defeating their Chinese opponents to set up the title clash. Divya Deshmukh defeated her Chinese opponent Tan Zhongyi 1.5-0.5 in the semis, whereas Koneru Humpy won against Lei Tingjie by 5-3 margin.
Humpy's first game with Lei Tingjie ended in a draw at 0.5-0.5 each, and so did the other semifinal first game between Tan Zhongyi and Divya.
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On the other hand, in the bronze medal match, China's Tan Zhongy defeated her opponent, Lei Tingjie, also from China, 1-0.