FIDE Women’s World Cup: Divya Deshmukh storms into finals
Batumi (Georgia), Jul 23 (PTI): International Master Divya Deshmukh stormed into the final, defeating former world champion Zhongyi Tan of China in the second game of the semifinals and winning the mini-match 1.5-0.5 in the FIDE Women’s World Chess Cup here on Wednesday.
In the process, Divya became the first Indian to make it to the Candidates’ tournament.
The stakes are high here as the final berth also ensured her entry in the women’s Candidates’ tournament next year that will decide the challenger to Wenjun Ju, the reigning women’s world champion.
Having already eliminated second seed Zoner Jhu of China and then compatriot Grandmaster D Harika in the quarterfinals, Divya continued to be the giant slayer of the event and her game against Tan was a testament to her growing chess skills.
With the Indian boys making a great headway at the top of the chess world, it was already time for the girls to have a say and Divya is the new girl on the block after R Vaishali.
It was tricks and strategy at display by Divya as she converted to an Alapin Sicilian as white and her time exchange of Bishops for knights guaranteed a pawn plus endgame.
Tan had her chances in the middle game but the former women's world champion did not make use of them and at some point simply missed the thread of the position.
As the endgame arrived, Divya had a couple of extra pawns to coast but Tan remained resourceful right till the end of the game.
Divya had an outside passed pawn after the dust subsided and it should have been an easy picking, but the fortunes fluctuated a lot. For the record, the game lasted 101 moves.
In the second semifinal, Koneru Humpy drew with top seed Tingjie Lei of China. Playing white, Humpy faced the Slav defense and went for the iconic exchange variation that normally yields to either equal or giving white the better prospect.
The opening yielded nothing special for Humpy but she got the Bishop pair against two knights to prepare for an advantage. The Queens were traded as early as on 19th move and the payers eventually reached a rook and pawn endgame wherein the Indian enjoyed an extra pawn.
However, with the extra pawn not so relevant, Lei stayed in the loop as the position was not changing much. The draw was a just result when Humpy had just one extra pawn remaining in the rook and pawns endgame and the point was split after 75 moves.
Humpy will now play the tie-breaker against Lei in shorter format.
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Zameer Ahmed reacts to Muslim leaders’ letter to Congress high command
Bengaluru: Minister Zameer Ahmed has responded to reports of Muslim community leaders writing to the Congress high command expressing concerns.
Speaking to reporters, he said he had seen the letter in the media and noted that around 15–16 community leaders had written to Rahul Gandhi, as well as to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Mallikarjun Kharge.
“They have expressed their views. If you want to know their opinion, you should ask them. I cannot speak on their behalf,” he said.
Stressing that there is no discrimination, Zameer Ahmed said everyone is being treated equally. “Since those who wrote the letter are community leaders, the reasons behind it should be asked to them directly,” he added.
He also said that different leaders express different views. “One person may speak in my favour, another may speak for someone else. There is no need to consider all that,” he said, referring to discussions around leaders like Abdul Jabbar and Naseer Ahmed.
On the issue concerning Naseer Ahmed, Zameer Ahmed said he is a senior leader and that if any anti-party activity was involved, due process should have been followed. “There is a procedure, a notice should be issued first, a reply should be obtained, and then action should be taken. This is also the view expressed by Satish Jarkiholi and several others,” he said.
He clarified that he is not saying action against anyone is wrong if anti-party activity is proven, but decisions should follow proper procedure.
Responding to demands that action against Abdul Jabbar and Naseer Ahmed be withdrawn, he said steps should be taken as per rules and that there was a view that immediate action may not have been necessary.
On the mention in the letter about “teaching a lesson” in future elections, he said there is indeed some dissatisfaction among political and community leaders. “We will speak and resolve the issues. Those who have written the letter should be asked directly,” he said.
