The FIDE Women’s World Cup in Batumi, Georgia will see a battle of generations as 38-year-old Koneru Humpy takes on 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh in the two-game final starting from Saturday. It is an India vs India clash after both players defeated Chinese opponents in the semi-finals.
Here’s how Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy stack up heading into the game.
Humpy is the first Indian woman to become a grandmaster. Since then, just two women have followed suit. Divya could become the third at Batumi if she wins the title.
Humpy’s peak standard rating was 2623, which she achieved in July 2009. Her current rating is 2536. Divya’s peak standard rating was 2501, achieved in October last year.
Humpy is currently ranked no 5 in the world in the FIDE ratings list for women while Divya is world no 18 (which makes her the fourth ranked Indian on the list).
In rapid, Humpy is no 10 in the world while Divya is no 22. In blitz, while the veteran is no 10 in the world among women, Divya is no 18.
Humpy was once the youngest woman to achieve the grandmaster title, when she beat Judit Polgar’s record by three months to reach there at the age of 15 years, one month and 27 days. Humpy has won the World Rapid Championship title twice, in 2014 and then again last year.
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Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh will battle in the final of the FIDE Women’s World Cup in Batumi. (PHOTOS: FIDE via Andrei Anosov)
Deshmukh was the world junior championship winner last year in the girls section. She was also the inspiration behind Indian women’s team winning a gold medal at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest last year where she claimed an individual gold as well for her board.
Divya Deshmukh vs Koneru Humpy, head to head
Overall games: 9 (5 with white)
Humpy wins: 5 (3 with white)
Divya wins: 2 (1 with white)
Draws: 2 (one with each colour)
In classical chess, Divya and Humpy have faced off just twice, as per FIDE records. Humpy won once, while playing with white pieces while the second game, with Divya having white, ended as a draw.
In rapid contests, the duo have played two games where one game ended in a draw while Divya won the second one. Both games have been with Humpy playing white pieces.
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Divya and Humpy have played five blitz games against each other, where Humpy has four wins (twice each with white and black pieces) with the teenager winning the final clash.
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