Batumi (Georgia), July 16 (IANS) India’s Divya Deshmukh pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the FIDE Women’s World Cup so far, defeating world No. 2 Zhu Jiner in the first game of their pre-quarterfinal clash in Batumi, Georgia, on Wednesday.

Playing with the white pieces, the 18-year-old Divya displayed strategic maturity and exceptional composure against the Chinese star, who is the tournament’s second seed and one of the title favourites. In a tightly controlled game, Divya built her position gradually, maintained pressure through the middlegame, and capitalised on Zhu’s inaccuracies to close out a memorable win.

With a 1-0 lead in the two-game match, Divya now finds herself one draw away from reaching the quarterfinals—an achievement that would make her only the second Indian woman ever to reach this stage of the Women’s World Cup after Harika Dronavalli in 2023.

Meanwhile, the other three Indian contenders in the pre-quarterfinals—R. Vaishali, Koneru Humpy, and Harika—were held to draws in their respective Game 1 matches. Vaishali, playing with the white pieces, had a closely fought encounter with Kazakhstan’s Meruert Kamalidenova, with neither side gaining a decisive advantage. Humpy and Harika, both experienced campaigners and former World Championship semifinalists, were solid in defence as they held their own with the black pieces against Switzerland’s Alexandra Kosteniuk and Russia’s Kateryna Lagno respectively.

The FIDE Women’s World Cup is one of the most prestigious events in the chess calendar, and this edition holds particular importance. The top three finishers in the tournament will qualify for the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, the next step toward earning a shot at the Women’s World Championship crown.

All four Indian players will be back on the board for Game 2 of their matches on Thursday

–IANS

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