Grandmaster Koneru Humpy and 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh put up strong performances to hold their Chinese opponents to draws in the first game of the FIDE Women’s World Cup semifinals on Tuesday. Humpy, playing with the black pieces, held China’s Tingjie Lei to a comfortable draw, while Divya’s solid defence denied a win to former women’s world champion Zhongyi Tan. With two Indian and two Chinese players in the semifinals, Asian dominance in women’s chess was again on display. Both Indian players will now play with the white pieces in the return leg of their respective matches, giving them a slight edge. If the scores are level after the second classical game, shorter-format tie-breaks will be played to decide the winners. The tournament also offers three qualifying spots for the next Women’s Candidates Tournament — guaranteeing at least one Indian a place. Divya was the first to wrap up her game against Zhongyi. The former world champion tried to apply pressure but found no real advantage as Divya navigated the opening — a Queen’s Gambit Declined — without trouble. Both players exchanged pieces steadily, and with just a rook, a minor piece, and three pawns each on the same flank, a draw became inevitable.
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Humpy, India’s top female chess player, surprised her opponent with an early opening choice that is seldom seen at top-level events. Tingjie Lei struggled to respond effectively and was pushed into a balanced but slightly uncomfortable position early on. Despite the exchange of queens in the middle game, Humpy never faced any serious threats. The presence of opposite-coloured bishops further reduced winning chances for either side, and the players eventually agreed to a draw.
