The 2025 FIDE Women`s Chess World Cup final, a gripping all-Indian contest, has reached a fever pitch, with two drawn games between veteran Grandmaster Koneru Humpy and the prodigious 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh. The highly anticipated championship will now be decided by a series of high-stakes tie-breaks, promising a dramatic conclusion to a tournament already rich in strategic brilliance and psychological warfare.
From the outset, the final has been a masterclass in tension. Game 1 saw both players battling to a draw, setting the stage for an equally taut Game 2. Koneru Humpy, the reigning World Rapid champion and a formidable force with white pieces—undefeated in nine prior white games in Batumi, Georgia—entered the second game with a subtle psychological advantage. Her choice of a Reti opening, transitioning into an English Opening, hinted at a desire to unsettle her younger opponent, who responded with the robust Agincourt defence.
The Gambit of Youth: Divya`s Calculated Risks
For much of Game 2, the board appeared headed towards an amicable draw. Yet, the tranquility was shattered around the 21st move, as both players entered deep thought. The real turning point arrived at move 24, when Divya Deshmukh spent a significant 19 minutes, revealing a bold, if perhaps precarious, strategic decision. Post-game, Divya candidly admitted to a “needless risk.”
“I think I got myself into a mess for no reason,” Divya confessed to the FIDE broadcast. “I was trying to see if there was a win, but I just missed Qb8, and I think I was confused if I should go g6 or g5… It should have been an easy draw; I got into trouble for no reason.”
One might observe a touch of irony in a World Cup finalist dissecting her own play with such disarming honesty, especially when that “mess” was self-created. This tendency, as Divya explains, is integral to her style: “I`ve been doing it for years now, so I think it`s just embedded in me to push. I think I`m trying to balance being realistic and being practical, because this has often landed me in quite a few wins but also quite a few losses.” It`s a philosophy that speaks volumes about her fearless, albeit sometimes fraught, approach to the game.
Humpy`s Pressure Meets Deshmukh`s Resolve
Divya`s high-risk maneuvers undeniably offered Humpy tantalizing glimpses of an advantage. The 19-year-old found herself walking a strategic tightrope, compelled to discover highly accurate defensive lines where even minor inaccuracies would have spelt disaster. The seasoned champion, Koneru Humpy, must have felt like a sculptor repeatedly finding her chisel unable to make a dent in a remarkably resilient, if occasionally self-challenging, block of granite.
Despite Humpy`s persistent attempts to force Divya into precarious positions, the youngster stood firm. Her precise responses gradually extinguished Humpy`s attacking hopes, leading to the inevitable. After 34 moves, a three-fold repetition solidified the draw, pushing the final into its decisive phase.
Divya’s mental fortitude was particularly noteworthy given her prior disappointment. “I was very disappointed with the first game, because I saw everything and I always ended up making the wrong choice – it was quite a pity,” she reflected. “The first game did not go my way. Even though it was a draw, it kind of felt like a loss. So, I was just trying to recover and today was considerably easier.” Her ability to rebound from such a setback speaks volumes about her championship-level resolve.
The Tie-Break Crucible: A Battle of Nerves
As the final shifts to tie-breaks, the predictions are as varied as the chess variations themselves. Koneru Humpy, with her formidable rapid chess credentials, is often considered the favorite in such formats. However, Divya Deshmukh has demonstrated throughout this tournament a remarkable capacity to upset higher-ranked players, proving her mettle under immense pressure. Her statement, “I`m going to give my best. She`s of course a really strong player but I`m hoping things go my way,” encapsulates the blend of respect and fierce determination she brings to the board.
This all-Indian final has become more than just a contest for a title; it`s a testament to the depth of chess talent emanating from the subcontinent. With both players displaying unwavering nerves and profound strategic insight, the tie-breaks promise a thrilling spectacle. The question isn`t just who will win, but who will maintain their composure and execute their strategy flawlessly when the stakes are highest. Chess enthusiasts worldwide await with bated breath to see which Grandmaster will ultimately claim the coveted FIDE Women`s Chess World Cup title.
Finley Holt 
Oliver Brampton