FIDE Women’s World Cup: It's even stevens after game 1

The first game of the mini two-game final of the FIDE Women’s World Cup chess between Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy ended with the honours shared on the 41st turn after some thrilling possibilities in a complex game.

The game, which has two Indians contesting the finals of a World Cup for the first time, kept everyone on tenterhooks as both players missed the correct continuations even while keeping the fizz intact in the game.

The Queen’s gambit Accepted Opening that Humpy opted for with the Black pieces has not been her regular choice but she stayed true to her customary style of opting for a less popular line. In fact, it was quite surprising to see both players ponder long on their 10th move, an indication of their unfamiliarity with the set-up.

Divya emerged with a better position in the opening itself and by the 11th turn, the players had already spent more than an hour each on their respective clocks, the unforced knight retreat by Humpy on the 10th turn having puzzled Divya. Humpy after the game was quick to point out,  “it was clearly a better position for Divya in the opening stages after I mishandled the Opening."

Divya sacrificed her knight for a pawn on the 12th turn, hoping to exploit her opponent’s un-castled King to squander her advantage, resulting in a wild position with plenty of possibilities for both. Thereafter it was Humpy’s turn to miss a promising continuation, seeking shelter for her King on the King-side rather than moving onto the queen-side.

Humpy later admitted that it was more an intuitive move as she felt that her King appeared safer on the square that she moved.

Humpy had to give back the extra piece and thereafter both the players held on to their nerve and the game, the regular piece exchanges ensuring that the game was heading towards a deadlock.

Humpy indicated her intention to settle for a draw by sacrificing her rook to force a draw by perpetual checks but Divya hesitated and tried a different move. However, Humpy had things under control by then and Divya too kept her cool in acute time pressure, deciding against venturing into risky territory and literally completed her 40th move with just about a second to spare on the clock. The players at that point had a queen and two rooks each.

Humpy after the game said that she survived anxious moments in the initial stages. “I wasn’t sure what was going on there exactly, it was a complex game. However, after the 16th turn I knew I was out of danger.”

On Sunday, in the second game, Humpy will wield whites and a victory by either would have them lifting the cup. A draw will force tie-breaks under shorter time controls on Monday.

The first game between Tan Zhongy and Lei Tingjie for the third place also ended in a draw. The player finishing third will also qualify for the 8-player Women's Candidates to be played next year.

The moves: IM Divya Deshmukh Vs GM Koneru Humpy

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Nxe5 b5 7.Be2 Bb7 8.0–0 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Nxe4 10.Ba3 Nd6 11.Bf3 Qc8 12.Nxc4 bxc4 13.Re1+ Kf8 14.Bxb7 Qxb7 15.Qe2 Nc6 16.d5 h5 17.Rab1 Qa6 18.Bxd6+ cxd6 19.dxc6 Qxc6 20.Rb4 Rc8 21.Qe7+ Kg8 22.Qxa7 Rh6 23.h4 Rg6 24.g3 Qf3 25.Re3 Qd1+ 26.Kg2 Qd5+ 27.Kg1 Qd1+ 28.Kg2 Qd5+ 29.Kg1 Qd1+ 30.Kh2 Rf6 31.Rb2 Qf1 32.Ree2 Rc5 33.Qa8+ Kh7 34.f4 d5 35.Re8 Rb5 36.Rh8+ Kg6 37.Rxb5 Qf2+ 38.Kh3 Qf1+ 39.Kh2 Qf2+ 40.Kh3 Qf1+ 41.Kh2 Qf2+