Divya Deshmukh, a 17-year-old Chess Woman Grandmaster hailing from Nagpur, Maharashtra, India clinched victory in the women’s category of the rapid section at the Tata Steel Chess India tournament. She dominated the competition by securing victories in all three rounds of the tournament, which took place at the National Library in Kolkata on September 1, 2023.
Deshmukh secured the top position with a remarkable score of 7 points, while the reigning world champion, Ju Wenjun of China, closely followed with 6.5 points. Russia’s Polina Shuvalova finished third with a score of 5.5 points.
Divya Deshmukh embarked on her remarkable journey in the realm of chess through an unforeseen turn of events. Her entry into the prestigious Tata Steel Chess India tournament was a result of a last-minute invitation, prompted by the withdrawal of R. Vaishali. Initially starting as the 10th seed among the 10 participants in the women’s rapid section, Divya’s ascent to the pinnacle of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament was nothing less than astonishing.
In the tournament’s final round, Divya Deshmukh secured a victory aginst formidable second seed, Koneru Humpy. Meanwhile, in a highly anticipated matchup between the top seed and World champion, Ju Wenjun of China, and the defending champion, Anna Ushenina of Ukraine, the game ended in a draw. This draw had significant implications, as it meant that Divya Deshmukh finished half a point ahead of Ju Wenjun, who had to settle for the second position. Against all odds, Divya emerged as the undisputed champion, etching her name into the annals of Indian chess history.
Winners of the Tata Steel Chess India Tournament by Ranking:
Rank | Player | Score |
---|---|---|
1 | Divya Deshmukh | 7 |
2 | Ju Wenjun (China) | 6.5 |
3 | Polina Shuvalova (FIDE) | 5.5 |
4 | Dronavalli Harika | 4.5 |
5-7 | Vantika Agrawal | 4 |
Koneru Humpy | 4 | |
Anna Ushenina (Ukraine) | 4 | |
8-9 | B. Savitha Shri | 3.5 |
Irina Krush | 3.5 | |
10 | Nino Batsiashvili (Georgia) | 2.5 |
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