KOLKATA: Divya Deshmukh knows how to grab an opportunity with both hands. The 17-year-old Women’s Grandmaster, who was only a last-minute inclusion after India’s latest chess sensation R Praggnanandhaa’s sister WGM MR Vaishali pulled out, ended up claiming the women’s rapid title of Tata Steel Chess India tournament at the Bhasha Bhawan in the National Library of India campus on Saturday. A member of the Online Chess Olympiad team in 2020, Divya maintained her lead in all the three days and ended on top in a thriller.
A former national champion, Divya drew her game against GM Anna Ushenina after four consecutive victories on the trot in the first match of the day. Women’s World champion GM Ju Wenjun narrowed in for the top spot with a win over GM Nino Batsiashvili.
The lowest-rated player of the 10-member competition, Divya lost her first game of this rapid meet in the eighth round against IM Polina Shuvalova thereby allowing China’s Ju to catch up with her before they entered the ninth and final round.
The Nagpur girl could not have asked for a better finish as she shunned India’s No. 1 women’s player GM Koneru Humpy with black pieces by sacrificing her rook to create a passed pawn that eventually decided the game. But she had to wait a bit for Ju’s match against GM Anna Ushenina to end in a draw to be crowned the champion.
While the Nagpur girl collected seven points with six wins, two draws and one loss, Ju finished half a point behind.
"I am trying so hard not to cry," an emotional Divya said after the win.
D Harika ended fourth with 4.5 points while Vantika Agarwal, the joint leader after Day I and Humpy, ended with four points each.
