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- Koneru Humpy vs Divya Deshmukh, Women's Chess World Cup Final Highlights: Divya Deshmukh crowned champion, becomes India's 88th GM
Koneru Humpy vs Divya Deshmukh, Women's Chess World Cup Final Highlights: Divya Deshmukh crowned champion, becomes India's 88th GM
The victory not just earned the 19-year-old the prestigious title, but also made her a Grandmaster, something which looked improbable when she started the tournament.
The victory for the Nagpur player came after the two classical games played on Saturday and Sunday ended in draws.
Having drawn the two classical games, it was the first set of tiebreakers that proved decisive as Humpy lost her nerves. Except the World Cup and the Women's World Championship, Humpy has won everything under the sun but, as fate or nerves would have it, the World Cup title eluded her.
Divya showed steely resolve on Monday, and the bonus for the determination was the Grandmaster title, reserved for the champion of this event.
For the record, Divya became the 88th Grandmaster of the country and if she continues to remain resolute in her endeavour she has the ability to achieve great success.
Divya is now the fourth Indian woman player to achieve the GM feat after Humpy, Dronavalli Harika and R Vaishali.
Humpy, 38, became a Grandmaster in 2002 and Divya was only born in 2005. Divya was a bundle of energy as she kept piling pressure on Humpy in the opening tiebreaker, tiring out her illustrious opponent and then going for the kill in the second tiebreaker.
Out of a Petroff defense, Divya got an isolated Queen pawn middle game and sacrificed a pawn to give Humpy better prospects in the opening tiebeaker. However, Humpy returned the favour with her clock ticking away, and soon enough she was staring at a position where she had a rook, bishop and a pawn against Divya's Queen.
The position, however, remained close to being equal and Humpy drew quite easily in the end.
In the return game, Humpy employed the Catalan opening and again Divya was well prepared as she equalised without much ado. Humpy had sacrificed a pawn early but the ensuing queen-and-rook endgame was just a draw.
It was on the 40th move that Humpy lost her cool and tried to invade the opposition through a pawn sacrifice. Divya could have done better but the rook-and-pawns endgame she reached was still a draw.
This was Divya's day as Humpy again ran a bit short of time and blundered in the endgame again, leading to a theoretically won position for Divya.
The fortunes in this game fluctuated between a draw and a win for Divya for a long time, till the Nagpur girl prevailed.
In a stunning victory, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh clinched the FIDE Women’s World Cup title, defeating India no. 1 Koneru Humpy in rapid tiebreaks in Batumi, Georgia. The 15th seed's remarkable performance saw her overcome formidable opponents. This triumph not only crowns her World Cup Champion but also secures her final Grandmaster norm.
Undeterred, Divya stayed composed as Humpy crumbled in the endgame under severe time pressure.
With that win, Divya not only claimed the World Cup crown but also fulfilled her final GM norm, officially becoming India’s 88th Grandmaster and just the fourth Indian woman to do so, a historic rise from underdog to champion at just 19 years old.
At just 19, Divya now becomes India’s 88th Grandmaster and only the fourth Indian woman to earn this prestigious title, marking a historic moment for Indian chess.
1987 – Viswanathan Anand, Tamil Nadu
1991 – Dibyendu Barua, West Bengal
1997 – Pravin Thipsay, Maharashtra
2000 – Abhijit Kunte, Maharashtra
2000 – K Sasikiran, Tamil Nadu
2001 – Pentala Harikrishna, Andhra Pradesh
2002 – Koneru Humpy, Andhra Pradesh
2003 – Surya Sekhar Ganguly, West Bengal
2003 – Sandipan Chanda, West Bengal
2004 – RB Ramesh, Tamil Nadu
2004 – Tejas Bakre, Gujarat
2006 – P.Magesh Chandran, Tamil Nadu
2006 – Deepan Chakravarthy, Tamil Nadu
2006 – Neelotpal Das, West Bengal
2006 – Parimarjan Negi, Delhi
2007 – GN Gopal, Kerala
2008 – Abhijeet Gupta, Rajasthan
2008 – S.Arun Prasad, Tamil Nadu
2009 – S.Kidambi, Tamil Nadu
2009 – RR Laxman, Tamil Nadu
2010 – Sriram Jha, Delhi
2010 – Deep Sengupta, West Bengal
2010 – B Adhiban, Tamil Nadu
2011 – SP Sethuraman, Tamil Nadu
2011 – Harika Dronavalli, Andhra Pradesh
2012 – Lalith Babu M R, Andhra Pradesh
2012 – Vaibhav Suri, Delhi
2012 – MR Venkatesh, Tamil Nadu
2012 – Sahaj Grover, Delhi
2013 – Vidit Gujrathi, Maharashtra
2013 – Shyam Sundar M, Tamil Nadu
2013 – Akhshayraj Kore, Maharashtra
2013 – Vishnu Prasanna,Tamil Nadu
2013 – Debashis Das, Odisha
2013 – Saptarshi Roy Chowdhury, West Bengal
2014 – Ankit Rajpara, Gujarat
2015 – Aravindh Chithambaram, Tamil Nadu
2015 – Karthikeyan Murali, Tamil Nadu
2015 – Ashwin Jayaram, Tamil Nadu
2015 – Swapnil S Dhopade, Maharashtra
2015 – SL Narayanan, Kerala
2016 – Shardul Gagare, Maharashtra
2016 – Diptayan Ghosh, West Bengal
2016 – Priyadarshan K, Tamil Nadu
2017 – Aryan Chopra, Delhi
2017 – Srinath Narayanan, Tamil Nadu
2017 – Himanshu Sharma, Haryana
2017 – Anurag Mhamal, Goa
2017 – Abhimanyu Puranik, Maharashtra
2017 – Thej Kumar M S, Karnataka
2018 – Saptarshi Roy, West Bengal
2018 – Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Tamil Nadu
2018 – Nihal Sarin, Kerala
2018 – Erigaisi Arjun, Telangana
2018 – Karthik Venkataraman, Telangana
2018 – Harsha Bharathakoti, Telangana
2018 – P Karthikeyan, Tamil Nadu
2018 – Stany George Anthony, Karnataka
2019 – Visakh N R, Tamil Nadu
2019 – Dommaraju Gukesh, Tamil Nadu
2019 – PanneerselvamIniyan, Tamil Nadu
2019 – Swayams Mishra, Odisha
2019 – Girish Koushik, Karnataka
2019 – Prithu Gupta, Delhi
2019 – Raunak Sadhwani, Maharashtra
2020 – Akash Ganesan, Tamil Nadu
2020 – Leon Mendonca, Goa
2021 – Arjun Kalyan, Tamil Nadu
2021 – Harshit Raja, Maharashtra
2021 – Raja Rithvik, Telangana
2021 – Sankalp Gupta, Maharashtra
2021 – Mitrabha Guha, West Bengal
2022 – Bharath Subramaniyam, Tamil Nadu
2022 – Rahul Srivatshav P, Telangana
2022 – V Pranav, Tamil Nadu
2022 – Pranav Anand, Karnatka
2022 – Aditya Mittal, Maharashtra
2023 – Koustav Chatterjee, West Bengal
2023 – Pranesh M, Tamil Nadu
2023 – Vignesh N R, Tamil Nadu
2023 – Sayantan Das, West Bengal
2023 – Vuppala Prraneeth, Telengana
2023 – Aditya Samant, Maharashtra
2023 – Vaishali Rameshbabu, Tamil Nadu
2024 – Shyaam Nikhil P, Tamil Nadu
2025 – Srihari LR, Tamil Nadu
2025 – Harikrishnan A Ra, Tamil Nadu
2025 – Divya Deshmukh, Maharashtra
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa818. e3Nd519. Nc4Qc720. Qd2N5b621. Nxb6Qxb622. Qc3Nf623. Rc1Nd524. Bxd5exd525. Rca1h626. Kg2Qb527. h3Qb628. R1a2Qc729. Qc5Qa730. Qc3Qb631. Rb2Qd832. Rba2h533. h4g634. Ra1Qb635. Kg1Kg736. Kg2Qd837. Qc5R8a738. R1a2Ra839. Ra1Qc740. e4dxe441. d5Qe542. Rd1cxd543. Rxd5Qe844. Qd4+Kg845. Re5Qc646. Qxe4Qxe4+47. Rexe4Rf648. Re5Rf549. Rxf5gxf550. Kf3Kg751. Kf4Kg652. Ke5Ra653. Kd5f454. Rxf4a455. Rb4a356. Rb1Kf557. f3a258. Ra1Ra359. Kd4f660. Kd5
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa818. e3Nd519. Nc4Qc720. Qd2N5b621. Nxb6Qxb622. Qc3Nf623. Rc1Nd524. Bxd5exd525. Rca1h626. Kg2Qb527. h3Qb628. R1a2Qc729. Qc5Qa730. Qc3Qb631. Rb2Qd832. Rba2h533. h4g634. Ra1Qb635. Kg1Kg736. Kg2Qd837. Qc5R8a738. R1a2Ra839. Ra1Qc740. e4dxe441. d5Qe542. Rd1cxd543. Rxd5Qe844. Qd4+Kg845. Re5Qc646. Qxe4Qxe4+47. Rexe4Rf648. Re5Rf5
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa818. e3Nd519. Nc4Qc720. Qd2N5b621. Nxb6Qxb622. Qc3Nf623. Rc1Nd524. Bxd5exd525. Rca1h626. Kg2Qb527. h3Qb628. R1a2Qc729. Qc5Qa730. Qc3Qb631. Rb2Qd832. Rba2h533. h4g634. Ra1Qb635. Kg1Kg736. Kg2Qd837. Qc5R8a738. R1a2Ra839. Ra1Qc740. e4dxe441. d5Qe542. Rd1cxd543. Rxd5Qe844. Qd4+Kg845. Re5
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa818. e3Nd519. Nc4Qc720. Qd2N5b621. Nxb6Qxb622. Qc3Nf623. Rc1Nd524. Bxd5exd525. Rca1h626. Kg2Qb527. h3Qb628. R1a2Qc729. Qc5Qa730. Qc3Qb631. Rb2Qd832. Rba2h533. h4g634. Ra1Qb635. Kg1Kg736. Kg2Qd837. Qc5R8a738. R1a2Ra839. Ra1Qc740. e4dxe441. d5Qe5
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa818. e3Nd519. Nc4Qc720. Qd2N5b621. Nxb6Qxb622. Qc3Nf623. Rc1Nd524. Bxd5exd525. Rca1h626. Kg2Qb527. h3Qb628. R1a2Qc729. Qc5Qa730. Qc3Qb631. Rb2Qd832. Rba2h533. h4g634. Ra1Qb635. Kg1Kg736. Kg2Qd837. Qc5R8a738. R1a2
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa818. e3Nd519. Nc4Qc720. Qd2N5b621. Nxb6Qxb622. Qc3Nf623. Rc1Nd524. Bxd5exd525. Rca1h626. Kg2Qb527. h3
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa818. e3Nd519. Nc4Qc720. Qd2N5b621. Nxb6Qxb622. Qc3Nf6
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces):
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa818. e3Nd519. Nc4Qc7
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb617. Nd2Rfa8
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1Qb6
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa615. Rxa4Nbd716. Rfa1
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c610. b3cxb311. Nxb3O-O12. O-OBa613. Nc5bxa414. Nxa6Rxa6
Moves so far (Humpy plays White pieces)
1. d4d52. c4e63. Nf3Nf64. g3dxc45. Bg2Bb4+6. Bd2a57. Qc2Bxd2+8. Nbxd2b59. a4c6
Humpy, playing White, opens the second rapid tiebreak with the Closed Catalan, a solid yet strategic choice under pressure. After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2, she signals her intent to apply long-term positional pressure, aiming to use the Catalan bishop on g2 and regain the pawn on c4.
Divya, now playing Black, faces a well-prepared opponent in a complex structure. This variation often leads to deep positional battles rather than sharp tactics, testing both players' patience and strategic depth. With the title and possibly Divya’s GM title on the line, every move from here is loaded with significance.
- The fourth Indian woman to achieve the Grandmaster title (after Koneru Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, and R Vaishali)
- The 88th Grandmaster overall from India
At just 19, Divya has already proven her strength across formats. A win today would place her firmly among the country’s elite, marking a major milestone in her fast-rising career.
Divya Deshmukh arrives at the board a full five minutes before the second rapid tiebreak game, a clear sign of her focus and readiness. Photos from Batumi show the 19-year-old calmly settling in, reviewing her lines and mentally preparing for what could be the title-deciding clash.
With the first game drawn and both players showing nerves of steel, this next encounter could be decisive, a win for either will secure the championship title. If it ends in another draw, the battle will shift to the faster time controls of the next tiebreak phase.
All eyes now turn to this crucial game as India waits to see who will emerge as the new queen of chess.
Tiebreak Format Overview:
- First: Two rapid games (10 minutes + 10-second increment per move).
- If tied: Two quicker rapid games (5 minutes + 3-second increment).
- If still tied: Two blitz games (3 minutes + 2-second increment).
- If still level: Blitz games in 3+2 format continue until one player wins a round outright.
Every move now carries enormous weight, with the title hanging in the balance, and the pressure is set to rise with each phase.
Tiebreaks Format:
- Two Rapid games of 10 minutes each, with a 10-second increment per move.
- If tied, two additional 5-minute games with a 3-second increment.
- If still tied, two Blitz games of 3 minutes each, with a 2-second increment.
- If necessary, the Blitz games will continue in a 3+2 format until a winner is determined.
Divya will pay black pieces, Koneru Humpy to play whites in the second rapid game of the tie-break.
Moves in rapid Game 1 (Divya plays white): 1. e4e52. Nf3Nf63. Nxe5d64. Nf3Nxe45. d4d56. Bd3Bf57. O-OBe78. c4dxc49. Bxc4O-O10. Re1Nc611. Nc3Nd612. Bd5Nb413. Bb3Nd314. Re3Nxc115. Rxc1c616. h3Bg617. Na4Bg518. Nxg5Qxg519. Rg3Qf620. d5Rad821. Qg4cxd522. Rf3Qe623. Qf4b624. Nc3Ne425. Re1Qc626. Nxe4dxe427. Rc3Qd628. Qg4Qd729. Qg3Qd630. Qg4h531. Qg5Rfe832. Rec1Re533. Qg3Re734. Rd1Qxd1+35. Bxd1Rxd1+36. Kh2Red737. Rc8+Rd838. Rxd8+Rxd839. Qc3Bf540. Qc7Rd741. Qf4Bg642. a4Kh743. Qc1Rd344. g4hxg445. hxg4Rd446. b3Rd347. Qc4e348. fxe3Rxe349. Kg2a550. Qb5Re651. Kf2Be452. Qg5Kg853. Qd8+Kh754. Qd4Kg855. Kg3Kh756. Qd8Bg657. Qh4+Kg858. Qd8+Kh759. Qd2Kg860. b4axb461. Qxb4Re3+62. Kh4Re463. Qb5Re664. Kg3Kh765. Qg5Kg866. Qd8+Kh767. Qc7Re3+68. Kf2Re669. Kf3Kg870. Qd8+Kh771. Qh4+Kg872. Qd8+Kh773. Qc7Kg874. Qh2Be4+75. Kg3Bg676. Qh4Re3+77. Kf2Re678. Qd8+Kh779. Qh4+Kg880. Qd8+Kh781. Qh4+
Humpy has defended well, but Divya has gained promising ground with the White pieces in the first rapid tiebreak. Showing confident preparation and sharp play, Divya took the initiative early, gradually pushing Humpy into a more defensive posture. But in all, it looks like a draw.
1. e4e52. Nf3Nf63. Nxe5d64. Nf3Nxe45. d4d56. Bd3Bf57. O-OBe78. c4dxc49. Bxc4O-O10. Re1Nc611. Nc3Nd612. Bd5Nb413. Bb3Nd314. Re3Nxc115. Rxc1c616. h3Bg617. Na4Bg518. Nxg5Qxg519. Rg3Qf620. d5Rad821. Qg4cxd522. Rf3Qe623. Qf4b624. Nc3Ne425. Re1Qc626. Nxe4dxe427. Rc3Qd628. Qg4Qd729. Qg3Qd630. Qg4h531. Qg5Rfe832. Rec1Re533. Qg3Re734. Rd1Qxd1+35. Bxd1Rxd1+36. Kh2Red737. Rc8+Rd838. Rxd8+Rxd839. Qc3Bf540. Qc7Rd741. Qf4Bg642. a4Kh743. Qc1Rd344. g4hxg445. hxg4Rd446. b3Rd347. Qc4e348. fxe3Rxe349. Kg2a550. Qb5Re6
Divya opts for the Classical Attack in Petrov's Defense, playing energetically with 12.Bd5 and quickly expanding on both flanks. After a sharp exchange of pieces, she sacrifices on g5 and activates her rook with 19.Rg3, putting pressure on Black’s kingside. With 22.Rf3, Divya targets Black’s queen and centralises her rook, aiming to dominate the open files in a tense middlegame.
Moves so far (Divya plays white pieces)
1. e4e5
2. Nf3Nf6
3. Nxe5d6
4. Nf3Nxe4
5. d4d5
6. Bd3Bf5
7. O-OBe7
8. c4dxc4
9. Bxc4O-O
10. Re1Nc6
11. Nc3Nd6
12. Bd5Nb4
13. Bb3Nd3
14. Re3Nxc1
15. Rxc1c6
16. h3Bg6
17. Na4Bg5
18. Nxg5Qxg5
19. Rg3Qf6
20. d5Rad8
21. Qg4cxd5
22. Rf3Qe6
Humpy, a veteran and two-time World Rapid Champion, chose the English Opening but couldn’t convert her bishop advantage. Divya capitalised on structural balance and sharp tactical decisions to force a draw in 34 moves. Both players are now bracing for the faster, high-pressure tiebreak rounds, a format where momentum can shift in seconds.
Divya’s journey has been impressive. From being a last-minute inclusion to defeating top seeds like Zhu Jiner and D Harika, she’s proven herself at every step. She even holds a recent rapid win over Humpy. Meanwhile, Humpy’s experience in high-pressure finals could be the difference-maker.
With both contenders representing India, this final is a win for Indian chess either way. Monday’s rapid showdown promises speed, strategy, and fireworks as one will rise to claim the ultimate title. Let the blitz begin.
Despite a few middle-game hiccups where Divya admitted she made “a bad choice,” she regrouped well and held the position with calm execution. Humpy tried to generate chances by sacrificing a pawn on move 23, but her delayed recovery allowed Divya’s queen to force a perpetual check and seal the draw.
Now the pressure intensifies as the format shifts to shorter time controls: rapid and blitz games where every second counts. Humpy, a world rapid champion, may have the edge on paper. But Divya’s recent track record in quick formats, including a victory over Humpy in 2023, makes this final anything but predictable. As both players prepare for the tiebreak showdown, fans await a nail-biting finish to this all-Indian chess spectacle.
By the 19th move, major exchanges left both players with equal material and balance, and a draw was inevitable. Humpy’s brief opportunity came with a pawn sacrifice on move 23, but Divya recovered tactically, and the game concluded via perpetual check after 34 moves. Former national champion Pravin Thipsay noted Divya’s precise rook exchange as the moment that tilted the position toward a stable outcome.
Now, the title comes down to rapid and blitz formats. The first round features 10-minute games with increments, followed by faster games if needed. While Humpy thrives in rapid play, Divya isn’t new to such pressure. She’s beaten strong opponents in tiebreaks throughout this tournament. Monday promises a riveting conclusion as speed, nerves, and instinct will determine who wears the crown.
While Humpy is a two-time World Rapid Champion and enters the tiebreaks with experience, Divya is no stranger to fast formats either. She famously defeated Humpy in 2023 to win her maiden Women’s Rapid title. As rapid games loom, fans anticipate a tense showdown between youthful fearlessness and veteran experience. “I am going to give my best,” said Divya.
With both players in top form, the championship now hinges on nerves, speed, and tactical brilliance. Monday’s finale will determine who lifts the coveted World Cup trophy — India will have a champion, but who it will be remains uncertain.
Tiebreaks Format:
- Two Rapid games of 10 minutes each, with a 10-second increment per move.
- If tied, two additional 5-minute games with a 3-second increment.
- If still tied, two Blitz games of 3 minutes each, with a 2-second increment.
- If necessary, the Blitz games will continue in a 3+2 format until a winner is determined.
The victory not just earned the 19-year-old the prestigious title, but also made her a Grandmaster, something which looked improbable when she started the tournament.
The victory for the Nagpur player came after the two classical games played on Saturday and Sunday ended in draws.
Having drawn the two classical games, it was the first set of tiebreakers that proved decisive as Humpy lost her nerves. Except the World Cup and the Women's World Championship, Humpy has won everything under the sun but, as fate or nerves would have it, the World Cup title eluded her.
Divya showed steely resolve on Monday, and the bonus for the determination was the Grandmaster title, reserved for the champion of this event.
For the record, Divya became the 88th Grandmaster of the country and if she continues to remain resolute in her endeavour she has the ability to achieve great success.
Divya is now the fourth Indian woman player to achieve the GM feat after Humpy, Dronavalli Harika and R Vaishali.
Humpy, 38, became a Grandmaster in 2002 and Divya was only born in 2005. Divya was a bundle of energy as she kept piling pressure on Humpy in the opening tiebreaker, tiring out her illustrious opponent and then going for the kill in the second tiebreaker.
Out of a Petroff defense, Divya got an isolated Queen pawn middle game and sacrificed a pawn to give Humpy better prospects in the opening tiebeaker. However, Humpy returned the favour with her clock ticking away, and soon enough she was staring at a position where she had a rook, bishop and a pawn against Divya's Queen.
The position, however, remained close to being equal and Humpy drew quite easily in the end.
In the return game, Humpy employed the Catalan opening and again Divya was well prepared as she equalised without much ado. Humpy had sacrificed a pawn early but the ensuing queen-and-rook endgame was just a draw.
It was on the 40th move that Humpy lost her cool and tried to invade the opposition through a pawn sacrifice. Divya could have done better but the rook-and-pawns endgame she reached was still a draw.
This was Divya's day as Humpy again ran a bit short of time and blundered in the endgame again, leading to a theoretically won position for Divya.
The fortunes in this game fluctuated between a draw and a win for Divya for a long time, till the Nagpur girl prevailed.
