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Key Points

PM Modi congratulated Divya Deshmukh for her stunning victory over World No. 1 Hou Yifan in the World Team Blitz Championships. The 18-year-old chess prodigy showcased exceptional skill, securing team bronze with an elite performance rating. Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also praised her inspiring achievement. The event, held in London, featured a massive prize pool of 500,000 euros.

Key Points: PM Modi Praises Divya Deshmukh for Beating Chess Champ Hou Yifan

  • Divya Deshmukh defeated Hou Yifan in a 74-move blitz semifinal
  • PM Modi and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya praised her achievement
  • She secured team bronze with a 2606 performance rating
  • The event featured a 500,000 euro prize pool
2 min read

PM Modi lauds Divya Deshmukh for beating World No. 1 Hou Yifan in World Team Blitz Championships 

PM Modi and Sports Minister laud Divya Deshmukh after her historic win over World No. 1 Hou Yifan in the World Team Blitz Championships.

"Her success highlights her grit and determination. It also inspires many upcoming chess players. - PM Narendra Modi"

New Delhi, June 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded India's chess sensation Divya Deshmukh for her first-ever victory over World No. 1 Hou Yifan in the second leg of the blitz semifinal at the World Team Blitz Championships in London. 

Representing Hexamind Chess Club, the 18-year-old Indian sensation squared off against the Chinese titan, who played for the WR Chess Team. In a thrilling 74-move battle, Divya outplayed Yifan, who blundered her bishop in a drawn pure rook vs. bishop endgame.

"Congratulations to Divya Deshmukh on defeating the World No. 1, Hou Yifan in the 2nd leg of Blitz semifinal at the World Team Blitz Championships, London. Her success highlights her grit and determination. It also inspires many upcoming chess players. Best wishes for her future endeavours," PM Modi wrote on X.

In the blitz format, Divya racked up six wins, one draw and just one loss out of eight games, clocking an elite performance rating of 2606. She later dominated the third-place playoff, helping her team defeat Uzbekistan 3.5–2.5 in both rounds to claim team bronze.

Following her win, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also praised Divya on her stunning win over World No. 1. "Heartiest congratulations to our chess star Divya Deshmukh on her stunning win over world No. 1 Hou Yifan in the 2nd leg of the Blitz semifinal at the World Team Blitz Championships in London. Wishing you the very best for the future games," he posted on X.

In the rapid format, Divya got five wins, six draws, and just one loss and secured team silver and an individual bronze on Board 6, with a performance rating of 2420.

The third edition of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships took place in London between June 10 and 16. The total prize fund was 5,00,000 euro; 3,10,000 euro for the rapid tournament and 190,000 euros earmarked for the blitz.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
What a proud moment for Indian chess! Divya's victory over the world no.1 shows that our young talents can compete with the best. China has dominated chess for years, but this proves India is catching up fast. More power to Divya! 🇮🇳♟️
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Priya M.
As a chess mom myself, I'm so inspired by Divya's achievement! Beating Hou Yifan is no small feat - she's been world champion multiple times. This will motivate so many girls to take up chess seriously. Hope our government provides more support to young talents like her.
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Amit S.
While I appreciate PM Modi's tweet, I wish our leaders would do more than just tweet praises. We need better chess infrastructure at grassroots level. China has state-sponsored training - why can't we have that for our prodigies?
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Neha T.
That 74-move battle must have been nail-biting! Divya's patience and focus at just 18 years is remarkable. Her performance rating of 2606 is elite level - she might be our next Vishy Anand in the making. So proud!
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Vikram J.
Interesting that this comes right after Praggnanandhaa's successes. Indian chess is on fire these days! But we must ensure these talents don't burn out early. The pressure on young players can be intense - hope Divya gets proper guidance.
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Sunita R.
As someone who follows chess closely, I must say Divya's understanding of endgames is phenomenal. To capitalize on Hou Yifan's bishop blunder shows incredible presence of mind in blitz format. More power to our chess queens! 👑

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