FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, Pune: Humpy Gets the Better of Divya
Chinese Zhu Jiner remains the player to beat
The fifth leg of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024-25 continued in Pune, saw some interesting encounters involving Grandmasters Koneru Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, and rising star Divya Deshmukh.
Humpy, India’s reigning women’s world rapid champion, displayed her positional mastery by defeating compatriot Divya Deshmukh in the third round. Opting for the English Opening, Humpy surprised Divya and gained a decisive advantage early on. Her bishop pair and a passed pawn on the queen side secured victory after 53 moves. Humpy remains a strong contender in the tournament. Despite the loss to Humpy in the third round, Divya’s performances have been commendable, and she continues to impress with her aggressive style.
Harika bounced back from her opening-round loss to Zhu Jiner by defeating Nurgyul Salimova in the third round. Her Catalan game showcased her strategic depth, though she missed faster routes to victory and converted her advantage after 68 moves.
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Vaishali’s campaign has been mixed, with a hard-fought draw against Humpy in the first round and a loss to Divya in the second. Her Italian Opening against Polina Shuvalova in the third round ended in a draw after 63 moves. Vaishali’s resilience and tactical acumen remain key to her chances in the tournament.
China's Zhu Jiner with 2.5 points leads the tournament after securing two wins and a draw. Her solid performance, including a victory against Batkhuyag Munguntuul, has made her the player to beat.
Munguntuul, with two points, has been impressive. She has two wins, including a strong attacking game against Alina Kashlinskaya. She remains a serious contender. Divya too has two points. Humpy has secured 1.5 points, the same as Dronavalli Harika, Vaishali has just a solitary point.
With six rounds remaining, the tournament is still wide open. Indian players, led by Humpy, Harika, and Divya, have shown promise and will look to climb the leaderboard. But Zhu Jiner looks very impressive.
The FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in Pune continues to be a celebration of skill, strategy, and resilience, keeping chess enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament progresses.
The Pune leg is the penultimate event in the Grand Prix series, with two spots in the Women’s Candidates Tournament at stake.
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