Grandmasters Koneru Humpy, D Harika and R Vaishali and International Master Divya Deshmukh stormed into the quarterfinals of the FIDE World Women’s Chess Cup, scripting historical past as India grew to become the primary nation to have 4 gamers within the match’s last-eight stage.
All 4 ladies gained their tiebreaks to advance to the final eight stage.
Humpy gave a glimpse of her previous self wanting assured and calm as she overcame Alexandra Kosteniuk, who’s now representing Switzerland after switching from Russia.
Humpy gained within the first spherical itself which was a testomony to her superiority over different rivals. She defeated Kosteniuk gained with a 1.5-0.5 margin.
Divya continued to punch above her weight, gorgeous second seed China’s Jiner Zhu 1.5-0.5. She gained the primary sport with black and held a draw within the return leg with white, showcasing composure past her years.
That left Harika on the toes as she misplaced the primary sport as black towards one other Russian Kateryna Lagno. But she struck again as white to attain the second tiebreaker.
The Indian then drew the primary sport as black and pounced on her probabilities with white to transfer to the quarterfinals.
Vishali, alternatively, defeated Kazakhistan’s Meruert Kamalidenova.
With all 4 Indian ladies into the quarterfinals it has now turn into a race between India and China as to who would annex the Cup and make to the highest three that ensures a spot in to the ladies’s Candidates that can decide the challenger for the subsequent Women’s World Championship.
While Humpy and Vaishali will subsequent face China’s Song Yuxin and Tan Zhongyi respectively, Divya will tackle Harika in an all Indian quarterfinal.
It could also be recalled that the lone Georgian Nana Dzagnidze can be into the quarters with some distinctive play so far.
