Teen Prodigy Divya Deshmukh Shocks World No. 2 at FIDE Women's World Cup, Indians Eye Quarterfinals

The FIDE Women’s World Cup witnessed a remarkable upset on Wednesday as India’s Divya Deshmukh, an 18-year-old rising star, sensationally defeated the formidable world No. 2, Zhu Jiner of China. This pivotal win in the first game of their pre-quarterfinal match has put the young Indian in a commanding position, electrifying the chess world.

Playing with the white pieces, Divya displayed exceptional maturity and composure against the second-seeded Chinese Grandmaster, who was widely considered a strong contender for the title. Deshmukh meticulously built a strong position, navigating the middlegame with unwavering steadiness, and capitalized on crucial errors made by Zhu to secure a memorable victory.

With a crucial 1-0 lead in the two-game classical match, Divya now stands on the cusp of history. A draw in Thursday's second game will be enough to propel her into the quarterfinals, a feat that would make her only the second Indian woman to reach this stage of the Women's World Cup, following in the footsteps of the accomplished Harika Dronavalli in 2023.

While Divya stole the headlines, the other three Indian contenders in the pre-quarterfinals – R. Vaishali, Koneru Humpy, and Harika Dronavalli – all concluded their first games with draws.

Vaishali, also playing with white, engaged in a tight battle against Kazakhstan’s Meruert Kamalidenova, with neither player managing to gain a decisive advantage. Both former World Championship semifinalists, Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli, opted for a cautious approach with the black pieces, successfully holding their opponents. Humpy faced Switzerland’s Alexandra Kosteniuk, while Harika squared off against Russia’s Kateryna Lagno.

The FIDE Women’s World Cup is a premier event in the global chess calendar. Beyond the coveted title, the tournament offers significant stakes: the top three finishers will secure berths in the prestigious 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, a critical stepping stone towards challenging for the Women's World Championship.

All four Indian players are set to return to the board for Game 2 of their respective matches on Thursday, with the nation eagerly watching to see if Divya can complete her historic advance and if her compatriots can break the deadlock.