Divya Deshmukh, an Indian chess prodigy, made a huge milestone by defeating World No. 1 Hou Yifan in the second leg of the blitz semifinal at the FIDE World Team Blitz Championships in London. The 18-year-old represented Hexamind Chess Club against Hou, who played for the WR Chess Team. The match, which lasted 74 intense moves, ended with Yifan blundering her bishop in a rook vs. bishop endgame, allowing Divya to score a historic win.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Divya on social media platform X. He praised her resilience and determination, calling her win motivating to young chess players.
Divya’s overall blitz performance was impressive. In eight games, she registered six wins, one draw, and one loss, earning a performance rating of 2606. She also led her team to the bronze medal, defeating Uzbekistan 3.5-2.5 in both playoff matches.
In the rapid segment of the tournament, Divya recorded five wins, six draws, and one loss. Her efforts earned her team silver and an individual bronze medal on Board 6. The event was conducted from June 10 to 16, with a total prize money of €500,000.
