FIDE Women’s World Cup Final, Game 2: Elite-level precision as Humpy and Divya head to tiebreaks

Tan Zhongyi clinches third place and candidates spot in a thrilling battle against Lei Tingjie The second game of the Women’s World Cup final ended in a solid draw. Humpy Koneru attempted to unbalance an equal position with an enterprising pawn sacrifice, but Divya Deshmukh defended accurately, and the game was drawn after 34 moves.  “It should have been an easy draw, but I got into trouble for no reason,” Divya remarked candidly after the game.  With both classical games drawn, the title will now be decided in tomorrow’s rapid tiebreaks. Humpy, the reigning World Rapid Champion, enters the playoff with strong credentials, but Divya has shown remarkable composure and resilience in previous tiebreaks, having already defeated Grandmasters Zhu Jiner and Harika Dronavalli in earlier rounds.  “I think I’m going to give my best tomorrow,” said Divya. “She is of course a very strong player, but I’m hoping things go my way.”  In the battle for third place, Tan Zhongyi emerged victorious against fellow Chinese Grandmaster Lei Tingjie. In an exciting encounter, Tan capitalized on a major blunder by Lei in the late stages of the game. With the win, she not only claimed the bronze medal but also secured a coveted spot in the Candidates Tournament.  Tan, a former Women’s World Champion, has now achieved an impressive record in the three editions of the Women’s World Cup: two third-place finishes and one fourth place. Elite-level Precision as Humpy and Divya head to tiebreaks The second classical game of the Women’s World Cup final between Humpy Koneru and Divya Deshmukh was a showcase of top-tier accuracy. Both players recorded a remarkable 99% accuracy score, with an average centipawn loss of just three—a clear testament to the elite level of play on display. Humpy surprised with the fashionable Zukertort setup: 1.Nf3 2.e3 3.c4—a line used by players like Levon Aronian and gaining popularity in recent years. Though not a staple in Humpy’s repertoire, she had previously used it to score a notable win over IM Salome Melia at the 2024 New York Rapid & Blitz, where she clinched the World Rapid Championship title. As expected, Divya’s preparation was impeccable. With a series of precise moves, she comfortably neutralized White’s initiative and steered the game into a balanced queen and minor piece endgame. The position was dynamically balanced—Humpy had the bishop pair, but the closed center allowed Divya’s knights to hold their ground.  After a lengthy think, Divya played 21…Ne4, a principled and engine-approved choice that invited complications. Humpy immediately seized the opportunity to transform the position with 22.Bxe4 dxe4 23.d5!, sacrificing a pawn to open the long diagonal and activate her bishop. Though down a pawn, White seized the initiative. Divya found herself under sudden pressure and explained afterward: “I got myself into a mess for no reason. I was trying to see if there was a win, but I missed Qb8.” That moment came on move 26: Despite being a pawn ahead, Black was caught in a bind. The knight on d8 was pinned and vulnerable, and mating threats loomed. Divya, showing great defensive prowess, played Kh7, eventually freeing herself with a precise …Nc6 maneuver. Though she had to return her extra pawn, the simplification allowed her to force a perpetual check, bringing the game to a balanced conclusion. With both classical games drawn, the final will now be decided in rapid and blitz tiebreaks tomorrow. According to an unofficial FIDE poll of 10,000 viewers, the odds are almost evenly split: 52% favor Divya, while 48% lean toward Humpy.  The outcome now hinges entirely on their speed chess prowess and nerves under pressure. https://youtu.be/6Xj8N1NLW9Q Tan Zhongyi clinches third place and Candidates spot in thrilling battle Against Lei Tingjie In the other decisive match of the day, Tan Zhongyi overcame Lei Tingjie to secure the bronze medal and, crucially, the final qualifying spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which determines the challenger for the Women’s World Championship. Lei opened with the Giuoco Pianissimo, a quiet but deeply theoretical variation of the Italian Opening—a line she had already employed multiple times during her semi-final clash with Humpy Koneru.  Tan, well-prepared for the encounter, followed familiar territory from her Round 5 victory over Vaishali, but in this game, she allowed Lei the opportunity to pin the knight on g5 early after castling. “I actually didn’t expect her to play this opening. I had prepared this before when I played against Vaishali, and back then I made a mistake in the move order, but I reviewed it again, and I didn’t expect that she would play it today. I feel pretty lucky,” Tan confessed in a quick postgame interview. The first critical moment arose just out of the opening: This position has appeared in several top-level games, with players like Aronian and Vidit choosing the creative 12.Ra3!?, sacrificing the d4 pawn in exchange for swift rook activity.  Instead, Lei introduced a novel idea: 12.Bb5!?. After 12…exd4 13.Nc4! dxc3 14.Nxb6!, the game took a sharp tactical turn: If Black greedily continues with 14…cxb2, White responds with 15.Bxb2 cxb6 16.Ra3!, followed by 17.Nh2 and 18.Rg3, setting up a devastating kingside assault in exchange for two pawns.  Recognizing the danger, Tan wisely declined the material and prioritized piece activity and king safety with 14…cxb6. From that point on, both players followed the engine’s top line with astonishing precision, showcasing exceptional preparation and decision-making under pressure.  The second pivotal moment occurred in the late middlegame: Here, Tan had a winning opportunity with 35…Qf1!, pinning the g2 pawn and threatening both mate and the rook on d4. However, spotting the correct follow-up—36.Rxe6 h5!—was far from easy.  This subtle pawn move shuts down any escape via g4, and with …Qh1# looming, White would have been helpless. Tan missed the win, and Lei managed to regain balance with two pawns and a knight for the rook, entering a complex endgame. However, with the clock ticking down, Lei made a fatal error in a tense position: Here, 52.Kg3 would have prolonged

FIDE celebrates 5.5 million moves and announces prize winners for Social Chess Day Tournament 

To mark International Chess Day 2025, FIDE and Lichess.org hosted a 24-hour global online blitz tournament as an open celebration of chess as a universal language. The response was overwhelming. More than 20,000 players joined the event, making it one of the largest social chess tournaments ever held. In total, 20,078 players took part, playing 85,252 games and making over 5.5 million moves. The format was a 5+3 blitz, and players could join at any time throughout the 24-hour period, making the event truly global and inclusive. This initiative was part of FIDE’s broader campaign for the Year of Social Chess, under the theme “Every Move Counts.” In keeping with that spirit, the event focused not on elite competition, but on connection, creativity, and community. As part of the celebration, hundreds of participants were randomly selected to receive prizes ranging from Olympiad invitations to training sessions with Grandmasters. The official prize draw was recorded and published (unlisted) on FIDE’s YouTube channel. You can watch it here. Attending the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand Five lucky participants have been awarded invitations to attend the opening ceremony and first round of the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, including two nights of accommodation: ikkkofa Trainingspa29 Yatharth9680071234 YBNVS GalimovaTS FIDE Merchandise Vouchers Ten participants won €100 vouchers to spend on official FIDE merchandise: Sabarish2015 YarYar2015 BubinN AlessandroLuzi smitil Luke-Adamson aymanelmaghraby Ghanem-Abd Jagma_is_baak k2h2 “Chess Players” Photography Books Twenty participants will receive a copy of the “Chess Players” photography book, a visual celebration of the game and its people: mohamadketabi1364 Diequin789 fati-ma0 Stralog HENKBATSBEK vridyunsvs CaganAlpp Raju_chess12 Muhammadasaf northlondon1982 gmmostafa_24 Krishnay13 Amirkhan100 CBA4006IMANFAHIM TLTLTLTLTLTLT AaryanKov Liwatha Netodasilva Mandalorian99 Himi99 Online Experiences with Grandmasters 1-on-1 Training with GM Lei TingjieEkaaksh1 Motivational Talk with GM Nijat AbasovFifty participants were invited to a group session led by GM Abasov. The winners are:  Emicy963 mdrabby oshinilashini gulnar2025 Michele_11 pioneer2022 greatgirish Aniel_S_C zakhria00 Guransh700 Erviss Mahadh KTL-DoanMinhTri2020 apolonia_p Blauer_Lemming Cause_Complications Backspac50 tejas_j yahyaaa_x7 MortPudingov Slowhand86 Yoyo743 gilbertj1903 Ahimalya_2025 kuhan2015 okeae123 adrian_grino_24 jzrivera_02 rurupertoo AlexeyPersh Drake Jovil007 originalRasputin shorespirit frietimo FalmadinO riceburner9 Anshik_Master190 royalyttrium JeronimoMarinD27 Kingway highlander87 Neftaly_cruz rumiek oVitall kerimduramaz_16 MikeMcDonagh jude2015 Intaz Schaakfanaat Online Simultaneous Exhibitions with GrandmastersThe following participants were selected to play in online simuls with some of the world’s top players: With GM Humpy Konerubhavyeshbalaj, Prihaan_porwal, Chri_Batista, akshayharish, SherlockHolmes73, monkeyflush, esmaikel23, Pluto2024, hectorPabloHernandez, Benja_Numis_Chile With GM PraggnanandhaaYasamin-Mahdavipoor, MOHAMMAD1980A, franmaco, DenisNov, pipopopi, akpap, elmagnificocolcho, Grandmaster-sammy, borty10, krivble_ruki With GM Vaishali Rameshbabukamilen7777, MEAT17, Aathvik, samriddhi07, DanPoki, Pepsiboyvaca, freakyCOACH1, Sibir72, diuberjesus14, hisforhenry With GM Tan ZhongyiKuzmin_Roman, Sankhya, xylol, eduarss277, bhootbangla, nubwub, rockzalez, GorPetrosyan, Sanjeev, Ajodez With GM Arjun Erigaisikostia_bk, Olga_0924, David1187, Legend1001, murrayhamilton75, swastik2015, Mestre_Dablo, mironNOV, Mr_Rare_Species, Sidkinracer With GM Valentina Gunina (with lecture)DavoodiMilad, D_A_N_I_Y_A_R, andoramia, Mike3774, Evanoblitz, Anas_Mohamed121212, trcnchess937945, Karaldo97, DM1978, EKAMDSINGH9 With GM Anish GiriJonisme, hossein2525, cercoterio, mukanovtimur2016, MISHKA-TURLOCK, Rdrchess, chamaragg, Nam_gyu, Nayan2283, Savyasachi2017 With WGM Anna Shukhman (with lecture)csAram2015, Kavishrc, nizky, tajik5757, Gauravviiiii, hendrix_tonic, Libertad_dama, fort-knight, JordyBan, Aqilsilkroad Game Analysis and Q&A with GM Anna Muzychuk Twenty participants earned the opportunity to take part in a game review and Q&A session with GM Anna Muzychuk: amirreza_g7 AkiroOnFire sussasun Raghavsingh2426 brnvstrncyagmur avjd thaihung1532015 JuwanJJK eduardillo Thesonucguy KokulskiAleksei Bobbyschrodinger rathodtushar iHaidi92 flash_9110 AlexStargazer ThatAdam mamzouj yoooi romanbier This event was not about titles or final standings, but about participation and connection. It demonstrated that chess can unite people from every corner of the world. To everyone who joined the tournament: thank you. Every move counts. And every one of you helped make it count on July 20.

List of teams qualified for 2nd FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities

The 2nd Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities will take place from October 19 to 26, 2025, in Astana, Kazakhstan. Organized by FIDE and hosted by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, this major international event highlights FIDE’s ongoing commitment to inclusion and accessibility in the global chess community. The Olympiad will bring together up to 34 teams from across the world, composed of players with visual, hearing, and physical impairments. Each team will consist of four players (with at least one from each gender), one captain/reserve, and one accompanying person. The competition will be held at the Paralympic Training Centre in Astana, a venue specially adapted to accommodate the needs of all participants. So far, 32 teams have qualified for the event, with two teams to be nominated by the FIDE President. Continental qualification Europe – 9 teams Poland Hungary Israel Ukraine Germany Croatia Czech Republic North Macedonia Serbia Asia – 7 teams FIDE Philippines India Iran Bangladesh Myanmar Uzbekistan Americas – 6 teams Cuba Venezuela Argentina Colombia USA Chile Africa – 5 teams Egypt Zambia Zimbabwe Tunisia Uganda Teams from the FIDE affiliated organizations – International Associations of Players with Disabilities – 3 teams International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) International Chess Committee of the Deaf (ICCD) International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) Nominations of the FIDE President – 2 teams TBD TBD Teams from the hosting federation – 2 teams Kazakhstan 1 Kazakhstan 2 Photo: Mark Livshitz The first edition of the Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities was held in Belgrade, Serbia, in 2023, marking a historic milestone for accessible chess. The event drew global attention for its inclusive spirit and high-level organization, laying the foundation for a growing tradition. 2nd FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities Regulations (PDF) For registration and queries, federations are encouraged to contact: dis@fide.com.