Eleventh-Hour Replacement Steals the Show; Beats World Chess Leaders in Dramatic Turnarounds
Nagpur’s Divya Deshmukh clinches Tata Steel Chess India 2023, outshining global chess elites with a memorable 7-point finish.
KOLKATA – A stroke of fate turned into a fairytale story for Nagpur’s Divya Deshmukh, the last-minute replacement for Vaishali R at Tata Steel Chess India 2023.
Competing against the crème de la crème of women’s chess, Divya proved her mettle by finishing the tournament with a sterling 7 points, leaving World Champion Ju Wenjun trailing at 6.5 points.
In a spellbinding performance lasting three days, Divya displayed immense calm and composure.
In the crucial seventh round, she strategically drew her game against GM Anna Ushenina, marking her fourth consecutive victory.
GM Ju Wenjun did close the gap by defeating GM Nino Batsiashvili.
Meanwhile, GM Koneru Humpy was back in form, notching up a second win over WGM Savitha Shri B.
Round eight saw unexpected shifts in the leaderboard, with every game concluding decisively.
Ju Wenjun won yet again, this time against WGM Savitha Shri, while Divya tasted defeat at the hands of IM Polina Shuvalova.
However, she bounced back magnificently in the ninth round.
The ninth round proved pivotal as Divya outclassed Indian No. 1 Koneru Humpy, executing a sublime endgame combination.
Her win, combined with a draw in Ju Wenjun’s game against Anna Ushenina, sealed Divya’s victory in the rapid section of the championship.
Divya emerged as the undisputed champion, etching her name in the annals of Indian chess history.
