Divya Deshmukh Triumphs as U-20 World Chess Champion!
India's rising chess prodigy, Divya Deshmukh, made headlines by being crowned the U-20 World Chess Champion. The 18-year-old from Nagpur triumphed over Bulgaria’s Beloslava Krasteva in a gripping final round, cementing her place among the elite in the world of chess. Throughout the tournament, Divya's performance was nothing short of spectacular. She maintained an unbeaten record, amassing an impressive 10 points out of 11 rounds. Out of these, she secured victories in nine games and drew the remaining two, showcasing her consistent excellence and strategic prowess. Divya, an International Master, began her campaign with a commanding start, winning her first three games against fellow Indians Anupama Sreekumar, Sherali Pattnaik, and G Tejaswini. Her momentum was briefly interrupted by a draw against Switzerland’s Hryzlova Sofiia, but she quickly regained her winning form with victories over Azerbaijan’s Abdinova Narmin and Ayan Allahverdiyeva. The final stretch of the tournament saw Divya securing a four-match winning streak, which included decisive wins against Mariam Mkrtchyan, Norman Kseniya, Rakshitta Ravi, Sachi Jain, and finally Krasteva. Her relentless pursuit of victory ensured her top spot, while Mkrtchyan and Allahverdiyeva secured the second and third positions, respectively. Source: Google Images The junior open section saw Kazakhstan’s International Master Nogerbek Kazybek emerge victorious with 8.5 points out of 11 rounds. Following closely were Grand Masters Emin Ohayan and Luka Budisavljevic, also with 8.5 points. Among Indian participants, Pranav Anand was the best performer, finishing tenth with 7.5 points. Divya’s victory was marked by her exceptional strategic play, particularly in her final match against Krasteva. Initiating with a Queen Pawn opening, Divya managed to gain a slight advantage in the middle game. Her consistent pressure weakened her opponent's pawn structure, leading to a pivotal Queen and Rook endgame where Divya capitalized on a crucial pawn to dominate the board. Reflecting on her journey, Divya pointed to her match against Ayan Allahverdiyeva as the tournament's turning point. Despite not being at her best, she managed to secure a victory that proved crucial in her path to the championship. "If I had lost that game, I wouldn't have been the champion," she remarked. The final match against Krasteva was a marathon battle lasting over five hours and 57 moves. Choosing the English Opening with her white pieces, Divya navigated through Krasteva's Nimzo-Indian defense. Despite a few challenges, she managed to secure a pawn advantage and maintain her lead. The game culminated with Divya’s precise and relentless play, forcing Krasteva to resign after a series of accurate moves. Having taken a break to focus on her Std XII board examinations, this was only her second international tournament post-break. Her determination to make a mark was evident as she played with confidence and precision. In an exclusive interview with TOI, Divya shared that this was her second world juniors tournament and she wanted to make her mark. She expressed her happiness in winning the world juniors, where she played some good games, and mentioned that her initial goal is to become a Grandmaster (GM) as soon as possible.
