Koneru Humpy braces for ‘robust’ all-Indian FIDE Girls’s World Cup closing: ‘Divya has performed tremendously properly…’

Koneru Humpy fought again from 2-3 down within the tie-breaks towards Lei Tingjie to
defeat the Chinese language top-seed 5-3 and advance to the ultimate of the FIDE Girls’s World Cup in Batumi, Georgia on Thursday. Veteran Grandmaster Humpy, within the course of, arrange a dream all-Indian closing towards Worldwide Grasp Divya Deshmukh, who had triumphed within the different Sino-Indian semi-final with a
1.5-0.5 victory over Tan Zhongyi on Wednesday.

Humpy had discovered herself in a successful place earlier through the Classical spherical of the semi-final, and will have clinched victory on Wednesday itself however for a late fightback from GM Lei that resulted in Recreation 2 ending in a draw.

Lei would then discover herself on the verge of victory on the next day, defeating Humpy with white items within the third fast tie-break sport (10+10) on Thursday after the primary two – with time controls of 15+10 –  led to a draw.

The 38-year-old Indian GM, nonetheless, bounced again in type to clinch the must-win fourth sport in simply 39 strikes and preserve her hopes of reaching the ultimate alive. There was no wanting again for the reigning ladies’s fast world champion thereafter she would go win each blitz tie-breaks (5+3) to finish a 5-3 victory over the 2022 Girls’s Candidates winner.

Humpy vs Divya to determine the World Cup champion

Humpy set her sights on the mouth-watering showdown towards Divya after beating Lei, and described the all-Indian closing as “one of many happiest moments for chess followers”.

“I believe it’s one of many happiest moments for the chess followers… however after all as a participant tomorrow it will likely be fairly a tricky sport as properly. Divya has performed tremendously properly on this entire match,” Humpy was quoted by Chess.com as saying after her victory over Lei.

Additionally Learn |
Divya Deshmukh lastly establishes herself amongst chess’ elite with historic run to Girls’s World Cup closing

Humpy, nonetheless, wasn’t fully impressed together with her efficiency towards Lei, including that she struggled with black items towards her highly-rated opponent.

“It was a really robust match and she or he additionally gave an excellent battle.

“I believe initially I performed fairly dangerous with the black items and she or he at all times had the benefit. After the loss, it was a really troublesome state of affairs, however I used to be capable of come again,” she added.

In addition to getting into the World Cup closing, Humpy and Divya have additionally certified for the Girls’s Candidates subsequent yr by advantage of being assured a top-three end within the ongoing match.

That’s not less than two Indians battling it out to earn the appropriate to problem China’s Ju Wenjun for the FIDE Girls’s World Championship.

The ultimate will get underway on Saturday and will prolong until Monday, 28 July, if the competition goes into the tie-breaks. The all-Chinese language third-place playoff between Lei and Tan will probably be happening across the identical time, with the winner becoming a member of the 2 Indians on the Candidates.