Nagpur’s Divya Deshmukh Clinches World Junior Girls Chess Championship
Nagpur, India- International Master (IM) Divya Deshmukh from Nagpur has secured the World Junior Girls’ Chess Crown. The victory, which took place at the Gift City Club in Gandhinagar on Thursday, adds another prestigious trophy to her collection.
In the final round, the 18-year-old Divya won over Grand Master Beloslava Krasteva of Bulgaria, emerging 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 off," says Divya, sharing her joy.
This victory marks another milestone in Divya's impressive winning streak. Last month, she claimed the title at the Sharjah Challengers in Sharjah. As the top seed in Gandhinagar, Divya justified her ranking by finishing with 10 points out of a possible 11, remaining unbeaten with nine wins and two draws. The competition saw participation from over 100 players representing 27 countries.
Congratulations to Nagpur’s own @DivyaDeshmukh05 for becoming the World Junior Chess Champion!♟️
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) June 13, 2024
Your remarkable achievement brings immense pride to our nation and serves as an inspiration to young chess enthusiasts everywhere. Wishing you continued success and many more…
Consistent performances marked Divya’s path to victory. After seven rounds, she led by half a point over Mariam Mkrtchyan of Armenia. With an Elo rating of 2456, Divya defeated fellow Indian Sachi Jain in the penultimate round, boosting her tally to nine points. Her dominant performance allowed her to maintain the lead for the last five rounds, culminating in an undefeated run and her first World Junior Girls’ Chess Championship title.
Playing on home turf proved advantageous for Divya, though she acknowledged the challenges. "Yes, playing at home is always helpful, but I had to fight for this crown," she shared.
The competition was demanding, but Divya’s confidence grew after her win in the sixth round against WIM Allahverdiyeva Ayan of Azerbaijan. "It was an exhaustive competition, but my confidence grew after I defeated Ayan," added the newly-crowned champion.
In the final round, Divya, playing with white pieces, capitalized on a Queen Pawn opening to gain a slight advantage in the middle game. Her persistent pressure weakened her opponent’s pawn structure, leading to a favourable endgame. As the game progressed, Divya's strategic exchanges and timely moves secured her a winning position, prompting Krasteva to concede.
With this victory, Divya joins an elite group of Indian women who have previously won the Under-20 world titles, following in the footsteps of Koneru Humpy (2001), Dronavalli Harika (2008), and Soumya Swaminathan (2009).
The daughter of Dr Jitendra and Namrata, Divya's remarkable achievement at the World Junior Girls’ Chess Championship underscores her dedication and skill, cementing her status as one of India’s most promising young chess talents.
