World Chess Championship

Maharashtra cabinet honours Divya Deshmukh for world chess title win

The Maharashtra cabinet has passed a resolution congratulating Divya Deshmukh on being the youngest chess player to win the Women's Chess World Cup. The resolution was moved on Tuesday in the cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and comprising Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and other ministers. Divya Deshmukh, the 19-year-old player from Nagpur, became the youngest to win the Women's World Cup on Monday as she outwitted the seasoned Koneru Humpy in the tie-breaker of an all-Indian final in Batumi, Georgia. CM Fadnavis on Monday announced the Maharashtra government will felicitate the newly crowned Grandmaster on her stellar achievement. "It is a moment of great joy that Nagpur and Maharashtra girl Divya Deshmukh has won the Women's World Cup and earned the Grandmaster title as well. She is the youngest chess player to win the prestigious international title," he said. In a statement on Monday, Fadnavis said Divya Deshmukh has inscribed the state's name in .

Divya Deshmukh trumps Koneru Humpy to clinch maiden FIDE Women's WC title

The 2025 edition in Batumi, Georgia, has been nothing short of remarkable. For the first time, the Women's World Cup final was an all-Indian affair, going into Divya's favour in the tie-breaks

FIDE Women's World Cup Final Tie-break: Humpy vs Divya live time, streaming

The tie-breaker of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 will take place on Sunday, July 27. If needed, the tie-break will then be played on Monday, July 28

FIDE Women's World Cup Final 2025 HIGHLIGHTS: Koneru-Divya game 2 ends in draw; tie breaker on Mon

Koneru vs Divya Women's Chess World Cup Final 2025 highlights: Both finalists are tied with one point each after two regular games and will now face each other in a tie-breaker round

FIDE Women's World Cup Final Game 2: Koneru vs Divya live time & streaming

The live streaming of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 Final Game 2 will be available on FIDE's official YouTube channel in India

FIDE Women's World Cup final 2025 Game 1 HIGHLIGHTS: Divya, Humpy settle for 41 move draw

Koneru vs Divya Women's Chess World Cup final 2025 highlights: The two finalists will now face each other with all on stake in game 2 of the final on Sunday

FIDE Women's World Cup Final: Koneru vs Divya live time, format, streaming

The FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 champion will take home $50,000 (approximately ₹41.6 lakh), while the runner-up will earn $35,000 (around ₹29.1 lakh) in prize money

Koneru vs Divya: Who will become India's first FIDE World Champion?

In a first for Indian chess, the FIDE Women's World Cup will have a winner from the country with Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh set to fight it out in what could be anybody's game in the grand finale here on Saturday. It's the first in the event's history that two Indians are facing each other in the final. Both Humpy and Deshmukh have qualified for the Women's candidates' tournament next year after reaching the final here. On pure experience of playing big games, Humpy goes in the final as the favourite against compatriot Deshmukh. Humpy held her nerves to score a come-from-behind victory in the semifinals over Tingjie Lei of China in the tiebreaker on Thursday, while Deshmukh defeated former world champion Zhongyi Tan -- also of China -- in the second game of the last-four stage match. Grandmaster Humpy, 38, was the winner of the world women's rapid tournament and also tied for first at the women's grand prix in recent times and she has proved yet again that age is just a number

World champion D Gukesh bags Rapid title at 2025 Grand Chess Tour Zagreb

World champion D. Gukesh ended his campaign with a finely-crafted victory over Wesley So of the United States in the ninth and final round of the rapid section of Super United Rapid and Blitz Tournament, a part of the Grand Chess Tour. After five victories in a row on the second day, Gukesh played out a couple of draws on day 3 and eventually defeated Wesley to end on 14 points out of a possible 18. Overall in rapid, he had two draws, a loss against Duda Jan-Kryzsztof of Poland and six wins. With the rapid section ensuring two points for each win, the Indian ace now enjoys a healthy lead over Duda who drew the first two games and was poised to draw the third one too in the day. For Gukesh, the day started with a peaceful result against Dutchman Anish Giri when the players reached a nearly-locked position despite several pieces on the board. The players shook hands as neither side was able to make much progress. The second round was really interesting for Gukesh as he employed the .

Boris Spassky, Soviet chess champion who lost to Bobby Fischer, dies at 88

Boris Spassky, a Soviet-era world chess champion who lost his title to American Bobby Fischer in a legendary 1972 match that became a proxy for Cold War rivalries, died Thursday in Moscow. He was 88. The death of the one-time chess prodigy was announced by the International Chess Federation, the game's governing body. No cause was given. Spassky was "one of the greatest players of all time," the group said on the social platform X. He left an indelible mark on the game. The televised 1972 match with Fischer, at the height of the Cold War, became an international sensation and was known as the Match of the Century. When Fischer won the international chess crown in Reykjavik, Iceland, the then-29-year-old chess genius from Brooklyn, New York, brought the U.S. its first world chess title. Fischer, known to be testy and difficult, died in 2008. After his victory of Spassky, he later forfeited the title by refusing to defend it. Former world champion Garry Kasparov wrote on X that Spa

Chess world champion D Gukesh opens up about his goals for the year 2025

Gukesh said that he wants to win as many competitions as he can going forward in his career

From T20 WC triumph to Gukesh making history: Key events in sports in 2024

Trailblazing comebacks and teary goodbyes marked an eventful year

PM Modi calls chess champion Gukesh an embodiment of calmness, humility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met newly-crowned chess world champion D Gukesh and described him as a confident young player who was an embodiment of calmness and humility. Gukesh, 18, displayed remarkable poise and nerves of steel to defeat China's Ding Liren in Singapore to become the youngest chess world champion, surpassing Russian great Garry Kasparov, who won the crown in 1985 at 22. "Had an excellent interaction with chess champion and India's pride, DGukesh!" the PM posted on 'X' after meeting Gukesh and his parents here. "I have been closely interacting with him for a few years now, and what strikes me most about him is his determination and dedication. His confidence is truly inspiring. "In fact, I recall seeing a video of his few years ago where he had said he would become the youngest world champion - a prediction that has now clearly come true thanks to his own efforts," Modi wrote. Gukesh became only the second Indian after the great Viswanathan Anand to cl

GM Erigaisi asks US Embassy for visa to play in World Rapid and Blitz

With time running out, Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi on Friday appealed to the United States Embassy to expedite the process of granting him the necessary visa to compete in the World Rapid & Blitz Championship, beginning in New York in less than a week. Around 300 chess players, including the world's top-rated player and former world champion in classical chess, Magnus Carlsen, and three former World Championship challengers, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Boris Gelfand, among others will be in action in the championship to be held from December 26 to 31. Erigaisi also requested External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the All India Chess Federation (AICF) to help him get the visa. "@USAndIndia Last week I submitted my passport to you for visa stamping and it still has not been returned. I request you to please expedite the process and return my passport as soon as possible as I need it for my travel to New York for World Rapid ...

Money isn't the reason I play chess: Gukesh after winning the World C'ship

The "multi-millionaire" tag does "mean a lot" to new world champion D Gukesh but he doesn't play the game for material gains but for that unbridled joy, which he has been able to retain since the time a chess board used to be the "coolest toy" for him. Gukesh, the 18-year-old from Chennai, is now richer by Rs 11.45 crore which he will receive from FIDE as prize money for beating Ding Liren of China in the final. Gukesh's father Rajnikanth gave up his career as an ENT surgeon to accompany his son on the circuit while mother Padmakumari, who is a microbiologist, became the sole earner of the family. Asked what exactly does being a multi-millionaire mean to him, Gukesh said, "It means a lot. When I got into chess, we (as a family) had to make some hard decisions. My parents had gone through financial and emotional hardships. Now, we are more comfortable and parents don't need to think about those things," Gukesh told FIDE in an interview. "Personally, money isn't the reason I play ...

World Chess Champion D Gukesh arrives in Chennai

Chessboard promises: Gukesh's win reflects India's growing prowess

Gukesh, for instance, has a five-year sponsorship deal, and his campaign for the world title was backed by a team of six top players who helped with analysis and preparation

Indian community in Singapore celebrates Gukesh's historic chess victory

Newly crowned chess world champion D Gukesh was felicitated by the Indian community here on Saturday, marking his historic achievement of becoming the youngest ever to win the title in the sport's history. The 18-year-old claimed the world title by beating China's Ding Liren in Singapore on Thursday. The two faced each other in a fourteen-game classical chess match. At a reception organised by the Indian High Commission here, he was felicitated by about 150 members of the Indian disapora, led by High Commissioner Dr Shilpak Ambule. Speaking on the occasion, the envoy said, "It was a Gukesh win no matter what others say." Wishing the young champion many wins in his endeavour, Ambule said, "We are proud of Gukesh and the win." During the event, the world champion obliged all diaspora members with personal photos. We are proud of his win. It was very magical moment his calm and focussed approach won him the championship, said Shiwani Khirwal, President of BiJhar Singapore, a societ

Shubman Gill extends greetings to Gukesh for becoming World Chess Champion

D Gukesh etched his name in history on Thursday by dethroning China's Ding Liren with a 7.5-6.5 victory in their World Chess Championship match held in Singapore

The chessboard whisperers: Mental coaches in demand after Gukesh's success

With Paddy Upton's client, Gukesh, proving spectacularly successful, chess prodigies from around the world will be in the market for mental coaches