Koneru Humpy vs Divya Deshmukh, Women’s World Cup final: Now, it is ‘Her Story’ for Indian chess

History.

That is one word you may have often come across in discussions on Indian chess for the last year or so. There have been the incredible twin gold, for the men’s and women’s teams, at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, D. Gukesh’s World championship victory in Singapore.

And yet, the history that was made in the Georgian city of Batumi, at the Women’s World Cup, is really special. Because it is more of ‘Her Story’.

While India is the dominant force in men’s chess – or rather, open chess – that isn’t quite the case in the women’s game. China is the undoubted superpower in women’s chess. The last three World champions are from China; half the world’s top 10 women are Chinese, and there is only one Indian.

The World Cup final, starting on Saturday, however, is an all-Indian affair. Koneru Humpy, the World No. 5, takes on Divya Deshmukh, No. 18. They both overcame Chinese rivals in the semifinals to ensure an Indian World Cup winner.

And it is a battle between generations, too. Humpy is 38. Divya is 19.

While Humpy has established herself as one of the world’s greatest female players of all time in a career that has spanned over three decades, and she continues to overpower much younger opponents (she won the World rapid championship recently), the teenager is one of the game’s rising stars.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FIDE WORLD CUP FINAL

They both showed exceptional skills and nerves of steel to move to the final of this demanding knock-out tournament that featured most of the world’s top players.

Their battle should provide some fascinating chess. Whichever way the final goes, towards Vijayawada or Nagpur, it should be a memorable one for the Indian sports fan.

It is not every day that the final of a major event has two Indians.