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The Game 1 of the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 final between Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy in Batumi, Georgia ended in a draw. The final is witnessing two Indians who showcased their brilliance to compete on the highest stage of the tournament. Humy possesses a lot of experience, while Deshmukh has shown she can become a pivotal figure in Indian chess. Humpy is known for her endurance in lengthy games, while Divya is known for her fierce playing style. Koneru beat China’s Tingjie Lei in the tie-breaker game, while Deshmukh got the better of Lei’s compatriot Tan Zhongyi in the semi-final.
With the drawn result in the Game 1, Koneru Humpy is in advantageous position as she will now get to hold white pieces in the Game 2. Getting the stalemate result while playing with black pieces shows how strategically she was against her fellow countrywoman, who got to contest with white pieces in the opening game of the final. In the 40-move game, Deshmukh created pressure on the 38-year-old veteran held the slight advantage, but Humpy displayed her skills and utilised her counterplay prowess with her queen and rook to force Deshmukh to settle for a draw.
Divya Deshmukh to look to avoid a tiebreak in final
In Game 2, Divya Deshmukh will endeavour to stand tall against Humpy, to evade the contest from going into the tiebreak round. Humpy is considered excellent when it comes to tiebreakers.The 38-year-old is already a World Rapid Champion and her technique is stellar when it comes to competing in such games.
However, Divya will look to display composure in the next game to extract a result in her favour. Amidst the contest between both players, Indians will be satiated with the fact that gold and silver medals are reserved for India.
