Divya Deshmukh Shines at Norway Chess, Upsets World Champion

Divya Deshmukh's Impressive Start

Divya Deshmukh kicked off her Norway Chess campaign with an impressive performance, defeating the reigning women's world champion, Ju Wenjun, in a thrilling match. The 20-year-old from Nagpur managed to draw the classical game before triumphing in the Armageddon round on Monday. Notably, Divya was the first participant to enter the tournament's unique confessional booth, a standout feature of Norway Chess. During the classical game, she faced some pressure while playing with the black pieces but demonstrated remarkable composure and skill to secure a draw.

In another surprising turn of events, the opening day in Oslo witnessed a significant upset in the Open section, where Magnus Carlsen faced a defeat against Alireza Firouzja. Competing with the white pieces, Firouzja executed a Queen's Gambit strategy, marking his first victory over the five-time world champion, leaving Carlsen at the bottom of the standings after the first round.

Positive Results for Indian Players

Great Outings For Indians

It was a fruitful day for Indian players at the Norway Chess event. World champion Gukesh managed to draw his classical match against Germany’s Vincent Keymer before showcasing an outstanding performance in Armageddon. After recovering from a challenging position, Gukesh capitalized on a mistake from Keymer, securing victory in just 22 moves.

R Praggnanandhaa also had a strong start, drawing with American Grandmaster Wesley So and subsequently winning their Armageddon match to earn an additional half-point. However, veteran Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy faced a setback, losing her opening round game to Bibisara Assaubayeva from Kazakhstan while playing with the black pieces. Despite this loss, Divya's remarkable performance contributed to a positive atmosphere for the Indian contingent.