By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, June 13, 2024
SHE was determined to become world junior champion and Nagpur’s International Master (IM) Divya Deshmukh added another trophy to her already overflowing cupboard after she claimed the World Junior Girls’ Chess Crown at the Gift City Club in Gandhinagar on Thursday.
In the final round, 18-year-old Divya beat Grand Master Beloslava Krasteva of Bulgaria to emerge as the clear champion.
“I was determined to win the World Junior Championship. I had prepared well for the competition and my hard work paid,” said an elated Divya while sharing her happiness with ‘The Hitavada.’
Divya was on a winning spree. She had just tasted title success last month when she annexed the Sharjah Challengers in Sharjah.
Continuing her title winning spree, Divya, who was seeded top, justified her billing as she finished with 10 points out of a possible 11 and remained unbeaten, winning nine games and drawing two.
Over 100 players from 27 countries participated in the competition.
The Nagpur girl had a half-a-point lead over Mariam Mkrtchyan of Armenia after seven rounds. IM Divya, with and elo of 2456, then defeated fellow Indian Sachi Jain in the penultimate round to take her tally to nine points.
It was a dominant performance from Divya who maintained the sole lead in the last five rounds. It was a memorable tournament for the daughter of Dr Jitendra and Namrata, who remained unbeaten throughout the tournament to claim her maiden World Junior girl’s chess championship title.
Divya took the advantage of playing at home and defeated opponents on her way to the top.
“Yes, playing at home is always helpful but yes I had to fight for this crown,” Divya shared her views with this newspaper.
Though she lifted the winner’s trophy aloft with a satisfactory smile on her face, the competition was “exhaustive” for Divya whose confidence started growing after her win in the sixth round.
“It was an exhaustive competition but my confidence grew after I defeated WIM Allahverdiyeva Ayan of Azerbaijan in the sixth round,” added the newly-crowned junior world champion.
In the final round, the immensely gifted Divya, playing with white pieces, started brilliantly and had a great opportunity to surge ahead.
According to reports, a Queen Pawn opening by the Divya resulted in a slightly better middle game against Beloslava.
The constant pressure that she exerted helped Divya increase her advantage, significantly weakening the black’s pawn structure.
The exchanges did not bother Divya as in the ensuing Queen and Rook endgame, the Indian pocketed a pawn making Beloslava’s king vulnerable.
A timely exchange was about to reach a completely winning king and pawns endgame for Divya when the Bulgarian called it a day.
Divya has now joined the elite list of Indian women chess players who have won the Under-20 world titles earlier. She is now the fourth Indian women player to win the championships after Koneru Humpy (2001), Dronavalli Harika (2008) and Soumya Swaminathan (2009).
BOX
DIVYA’S ROAD TO TOP OF THE WORLD
Beat WCM Anupam M Sreekuma
Beat Sherali Pattnaik
Beat WIM Tejaswini G
Drew with WIM Hryzlova Sofiia
Beat Abdinova Narmin
Beat WIM Allahverdiyeva Ayan
Drew with WIM Mkrtchyan Mariam
Beat Norman Kseniya
Beat WGM Rakshitta Ravi
Beat WFM Sachi Jain
Beat WGM Krasteva Beloslava
