Divya Deshmukh beats World No. 1 in London

New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised 18-year-old chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh after her landmark victory over World No. 1 Hou Yifan at the World Team Blitz Championships in London.

Playing for Hexamind Chess Club, Divya defeated the Chinese grandmaster, who represents the WR Chess Team, in the second leg of the semifinal. In a tense 74-move game, Yifan made a key error in a bishop vs. rook endgame, allowing Divya to clinch her first win over the world’s top-ranked woman player.

PM Modi wrote on X, “Congratulations to Divya Deshmukh on defeating the World No. 1... Her success highlights her grit and determination. It also inspires many upcoming chess players.”

In the blitz section, Divya scored six wins, one draw, and just one loss in eight games, achieving a strong performance rating of 2606. She later led her team to bronze by beating Uzbekistan 3.5–2.5 in both rounds of the third-place match.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also congratulated her, calling the win “stunning” and wishing her the best in future games.

In the rapid format, Divya performed well again, earning five wins, six draws, and one loss. Her efforts helped her team win silver and secured her an individual bronze on Board 6, with a rating of 2420.

The third FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships took place in London from June 10 to 16. The tournament had a total prize fund of €500,000, with €190,000 reserved for the blitz competition.