Koneru Humpy From Retirement Doubts to Rapid Glory

Koneru Humpy, the pioneering force in Indian women’s chess, scripted another chapter of glory by winning her second Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship title in New York at the age of 37. Her remarkable journey from contemplating retirement to reclaiming the world crown underscores her resilience and passion for the game. Humpy’s story is not just about victories on the chessboard but also about balancing motherhood, family support, and a challenging professional chess career.

Key Highlights of the Event

2024 World Rapid Championship

• Initial Setback: Lost the first-round match but recovered with consistent performances.
• Day-by-Day Performance
• Day 1: Finished with 2.5/4 points after the opening rounds.
• Day 2: Won all four matches to take the joint lead.
• Final Day: Secured the title with 8.5/11 points, defeating Irene Sukandar in the final round.
• Opponents: Faced top contenders like Ju Wenjun (China) and Kateryna Lagno (Russia), finishing ahead of them.

Significance of The Victory

• Second World Title: Becomes tied with Ju Wenjun as the only players to win the Women’s World Rapid title twice.
• Inspiration for Youth: Hopes her achievements will encourage young chess players in India.
• Family Support: Credits her family, especially her parents and husband, for enabling her to balance motherhood and chess.

Background and Journey of Humpy

• First Victory (2019): Made a stunning comeback to win her first Women’s World Rapid Championship in Moscow after a self-imposed break for motherhood.
• Motherhood and Comeback: Overcame prenatal complications and navigated life as a mother to return to competitive chess at the 2018 Batumi Olympiad.
• Retirement Doubts: Battled low confidence and poor form throughout 2024, even contemplating retirement before deciding to compete in the championship.

Indian Women’s Result

• Divya Deshmukh: 21st place with 7 points.
• Padmini Rout: 26th place with 6.5 points.
• R. Vaishali: 52nd place with 5.5 points.
• Vantika Agrawal: 67th place with 5 points.

Open Event

• Russia’s Volodar Murzin, 18, clinched the title with 10 points from 13 rounds.
• Alexander Grischuk and Ian Nepomniachtchi, also from Russia, finished second and third with 9.5 points each.
• Arjun Erigaisi was India’s top performer in the open section, finishing fifth with 9 points.

Other Indian Performance In Open Section

• R. Praggnanandhaa: 17th place with 8.5 points.
• Arvindh Chithambaram: 40th place with 8 points.
• V. Pranav: 44th place with 7.5 points.
• Raunak Sadhwani: 55th place with 7 points.