Panaji, November 9 – Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi was eliminated from the World Chess Cup on Sunday after losing to American player Sam Shankland 2.5–3.5 in the second set of the third-round tie-break games.

As per agency report, another Indian player, S L Narayanan, also suffered defeat in the first set of the tie-break games against China’s Yangyi Yu. However, V Kartik continued his impressive run in the tournament by defeating Romania’s Deac Bogdan-Daniel 1.5–0.5, advancing to the fourth round.

Kartik’s progress means that after the completion of the first three rounds, five Indian players remain in contention for the championship title. Among them are strong contenders Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, P Harikrishna, and world junior champion V Pranav, who have already qualified for the fourth round.

With his exit, Gujrathi became the third major Indian player to bow out of the tournament. Earlier, world champion D Gukesh had lost to Germany’s Frederik Svane, while Aravindh Chithambaram was defeated by Kartik in the second round.

Nagpur, July 31: Nineteen-year-old chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh, who recently became the youngest-ever winner of the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup, stated on Thursday that she thrives on aggression and remains unaffected by pressure. Speaking to the media in Nagpur following her monumental victory, Divya said that her focus lies on her own expectations and goals, not external pressures.

On July 28, Divya made history in Batumi, Georgia, by defeating fellow Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy in a tiebreaker in the final, becoming the youngest champion in the tournament’s history. The victory not only earned her the prestigious title but also secured her the Grandmaster status.

As per agency report, Divya emphasized that adopting aggressive strategies comes naturally to her and that she finds comfort in entering tactical positions during games. When asked about frequent comparisons to former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, known for his calm demeanor and mental toughness, Divya acknowledged the similarity but explained that aggression has always been a core part of her style.

She further remarked that the key similarity between her and 18-year-old D Gukesh—who became the youngest World Chess Champion by defeating China’s Ding Liren last December—is their shared quality of fighting until the very end.

Divya’s determined approach and attacking gameplay continue to draw admiration as she cements her place among India’s top chess talents on the global stage.

Georgia, July 29 – Indian chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh clinched the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 title on Monday after defeating fellow Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy in a thrilling final.

With this remarkable victory, Divya has also earned the prestigious Grandmaster title, becoming the 88th Indian to achieve this feat and the fourth Indian woman to do so.

In the first game of the rapid tiebreaks, Divya played with the white pieces and launched an aggressive attack. Humpy, playing with black, managed to hold the game to a draw, gaining a slight psychological edge.

However, in the second rapid game, Divya—this time with the black pieces—dominated from the outset. A critical mistake by Humpy allowed Divya to seize the initiative and eventually win the game.

Divya secured the title with a 1.5–0.5 score in the tiebreak, marking a significant milestone in her career and Indian chess history.

Stavanger, June 7 – Reigning World Champion D Gukesh finished third in the Norway Chess Tournament after a final-round loss to American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana, while five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen secured a record seventh title in his home country.

As per agency report, Gukesh, who had been in strong contention, committed a critical error on time against the 2018 Norway Chess champion Caruana, which cost him the game and a higher podium finish. With this result, Caruana claimed the second position with 15.5 points, narrowly behind Carlsen, who ended the tournament with 16 points after drawing the classical game in the final round against Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi.

Gukesh concluded with 14.5 points to secure third place, while Arjun Erigaisi, despite defeating Carlsen in the Armageddon tiebreak, finished fifth overall with 13 points.

In the women’s section, two-time World Blitz Champion Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine emerged victorious with 16.5 points, despite losing the Armageddon tiebreak to India’s R Vaishali in the final round. Among the Indian women, Koneru Humpy delivered a strong performance and finished third with 15 points. Vaishali, however, was unable to meet expectations and ended the tournament with 11 points.

The tournament brought intense competition and showcased emerging talents as well as seasoned champions, further reinforcing Norway Chess as one of the most prestigious events on the global chess calendar.

Hamburg, February 15 – World Champion D Gukesh had a disappointing end to his campaign at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam after losing the 7th place playoff match to French-Iranian player Alireza Firouzja in the second game.

Gukesh failed to secure a single victory throughout the tournament, finishing in the 8th and final position. His first game against Firouzja ended in a draw, but in the second game, despite playing with white pieces, he was unable to capitalize and lost in 30 moves.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Vincent Keymer stunned the chess world by winning the tournament title, despite being considered the weakest player at the start.

World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who was seen as the strongest contender, had to settle for third place.

Final Standings:

1. Vincent Keymer (Germany)
2. Fabiano Caruana (USA)
3. Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
4. Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan)
5. Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
6. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan)
7. Alireza Firouzja (France)
8. D Gukesh (India)

Gukesh will now look to regroup and bounce back in his upcoming tournaments after this tough outing in Hamburg.

Singapore, December 8: Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh triumphed over reigning champion Ding Liren in the 11th round of the World Chess Championship, solidifying his position with a 6-5 lead in the 14-game series. Reflecting on his performance, Gukesh attributed his comeback to mental resilience and calculated risk-taking after losing the first game.

Speaking to reporters, Gukesh said, "After losing the first game, I needed to demonstrate mental strength. Dropping the opening game in a World Championship match isn’t ideal, but I managed to recover and play strong chess afterward."

Gukesh had initially fallen behind but leveled the match by winning the third game. The following seven games ended in draws, but his victory in the 11th round has positioned him strongly in the championship battle.

The 17-year-old credited his team's support for helping him regain momentum. "My team played a crucial role in helping me bounce back. I decided to take some risks, which worked in my favor and surprised my opponent," he said.

Gukesh dismissed suggestions that Ding was merely playing for a draw in the 11th game, stating, "I don’t think my opponent was aiming for a draw. In fact, he had better positions at times during the game. In a 14-round match, you can’t plan for tie-breaks early on because mistakes are always possible in chess."

With just three games left, Gukesh’s victory over the Chinese champion has set the stage for an intense finish to the World Chess Championship.

London, October 4: One of the most highly anticipated matches of the second edition of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League took place on the opening day, featuring two young stars who were instrumental in India’s Chess Olympiad triumph.

The game between Arjun Erigaisi, representing Ganges Grandmasters, and R. Praggnanandhaa, playing for Alpine SG Pipers, ended in a draw. Despite this, Alpine SG Pipers secured an 11-6 victory in the match.

In other matches, American Gambits defeated Upgrade Mumba Masters with an 11-6 scoreline, while PBG Alaska Knights dominated reigning champions Triveni Continental Kings with a comprehensive 15-3 win. This resounding victory gave Alaska Knights an early lead in the tournament standings.

Notable victories by Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, and Nihal Sarin propelled Alaska Knights ahead of both the Pipers and Mumba Masters.

Alpine SG Pipers’ win was sealed by Richard Rapport and former Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan, as the other games ended in draws. Among those draws was the much-anticipated match between five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen and former World Champion Viswanathan Anand, who have previously faced each other for two world titles. Hou Yifan defeated Praggnanandhaa’s older sister, R. Vaishali, while Rapport secured victory against Parham Maghsoodloo. Wins with the black pieces earned the players four points each (as opposed to three points for wins with white), giving their team a crucial advantage.

The focus of the match between American Gambits and Upgrade Mumba Masters was the game between Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Hikaru Nakamura, which ended in a draw.

New Delhi — On Friday, the Indian men's and women's chess teams registered significant wins in the third round of the Chess Olympiad held in Budapest. The men's team dominated host nation Hungary-B with a score of 3.5-0.5, while the women's team defeated Switzerland 3-1.

In the women's section, Harika Dronavalli faced a rare setback, marking the first loss for an Indian player in the tournament. Playing on the top board, she was defeated by Alexandra Kosteniuk, a former Russian representative.

The other members of the women's team ensured victory with strong performances. R. Vaishali won against Ghazal Hakimifard on the second board, Divya Deshmukh overcame Sophia Hreezlova on the third, and Vantika Agrawal defeated Maria Manko on the fourth board.

In the Open section, the Indian men's team's perfect winning streak was interrupted by Hungary's second team. After securing victories in their initial eight games, second-seeded India conceded half a point when Vidit Gujrathi was held to a draw on the fourth board by Gabor Papp, a player rated 170 Elo points lower.

However, India's young grandmasters shone brightly. D. Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi secured wins against Adam Kozak, Tamas Banusz, and Peter Prohaszka, respectively, maintaining the team's strong position in the tournament.

With eight rounds remaining, both Indian teams are poised to continue their pursuit of top honors in the Olympiad.

Surat - Vaka Laxmi Pragnika, a 6-year-old chess prodigy from SD Jain Modern School, Surat, has once again made Gujarat proud by qualifying for the National Chess Championship to be held in Mysore this September. Pragnika secured her spot by performing exceptionally well in the state-level chess championship recently held in Ahmedabad.

Competing in the under-7 age group, Pragnika scored an impressive 6.5 points in 7 rounds, triumphing over more than 110 participants. This is not her first achievement; she has previously demonstrated her talent in district-level championships. Despite her young age, Pragnika's intense concentration and strategic skills have left a lasting impression on everyone.

The administration of SD Jain Modern School expressed their joy and pride over Pragnika's achievement, hoping she will continue to bring accolades to the country in the future. Pragnika's success has not only made Surat proud but also serves as an inspiration for young talents across the region.

New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS) Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur on Wednesday handed over the Chess Olympiad Torch to Budapest, Hungary, the official host of the 45th edition of the Chess Olympiad.

The 1st Chess Olympiad Torch Relay was kicked off in a ceremony by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi here at Indira Gandhi Stadium on June 19, 2022.

The handoff ceremony took place at Major Dhyanchand National Stadium in the national capital, where the Sports Minister, along with Indian Grand Master Vishwanathan Anand played also a friendly game of Chess against FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich and Hungarian Grand Master Judit Polgar before handing over the Olympiad torch to the FIDE President and Budapest.

During the event, the Sports Minister said: "I am delighted that what we decided a few years back (to have Chess Olympiad Torch Relay) actually happened and that I am here at the handoff ceremony of the Torch for the Chess Olympiad."

"Chess is an intellectual legacy that India probably offers to the world, and it is not merely a sport, but a reflection of strategic depth and philosophical wisdom. The elegant sport not only sharpens the mind but also teaches invaluable lessons of patience and resilience and takes one onto the path of intellectual pursuit of strategic mastery," he added.

The 44th edition of the Chess Olympiad was held in Chennai in the year 2022. More than 2500 players and 7000 had taken part in the global event at that time.

The next edition of the FIDE Chess Olympiad will now take place in Budapest, Hungary this year with the official announcement for the same being made earlier this year.

Chennai, Feb 6 (IANS) For the first time in the history, young Indian chess players occupied five slots -- including the top spot -- in the junior world rankings.

The honours go to Grandmasters (GM) the top-ranked R.Praggnanandhaa (Elo rating 2747), D.Gukesh (2743) ranked third, Nihal Sarin (2693) ranked sixth, Raunak Sadhwani (2654) ranked seventh and Leon Luke Meondonca (2631) ranked tenth as per International Chess Federation or FIDE's latest ranking list.

Interestingly, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh will be playing in the upcoming Candidates Tournament in Canada. The winner of the tournament will challenge the World Chess Champion Liren Ding (2762) for the world title.

In the girls section too two Indian players are figuring in the top 10 club viz Sarayu Velpula (2444-2nd rank) and Woman GM (WGM) Divya Deshmukh (2427, 3rd rank).

In the women’s section, India’s seasoned GM Koneru Humpy is ranked third with a rating of 2554. Humpy will also be playing in the Women Candidates in Canada.

Though not ranked in the top ten in the world, WGM R. Vaishali will also be competing in the Women Candidates tournament.

However, no Indian chess player figures in the top ten in the Open category.